The remnants of a Roman warship’s battering ram, known as a rostrum, have been retrieved from the Mediterranean Sea. This remarkable artifact played a crucial role in the Battle of the Aegates in 241 BCE, a decisive naval clash between Rome and Carthage that concluded the 23-year-long First Punic War.
The Sicilian Department of Cultural Heritage’s Superintendence of the Sea announced the discovery. Divers from the Society for the Documentation of Submerged Sites, aided by the research vessel Hercules, located and recovered the rostrum. It was found at a depth of approximately 262 feet (80 meters) between the islands of Levanzo and Favignana, west of Sicily. This area has been the focus of archaeological surveys for the past two decades. The rostrum is currently on land in Favignana, where initial studies have revealed an ornamental relief depicting a helmet and feathers. Roman rostrum with helmet and feather relief
Since the early 2000s, an impressive 27 rostra have been discovered in this region. These bronze-clad battering rams were designed to pierce enemy ships, causing significant damage and ultimately sinking them. The ongoing surveys have also unearthed other ancient wartime relics, including 30 Roman helmets, two swords, and numerous amphorae, a common find in Mediterranean archaeology. Divers exploring the Mediterranean seabed
The waters between Sicily and Tunisia served as a vital maritime route during the Roman Empire, as evidenced by numerous archaeological discoveries. In 2022, a UNESCO mission identified three shipwrecks off Keith Reef, one dating back to between 200 BCE and 100 BCE. Three other Roman wrecks were also studied off the Italian coast: two 1st-century CE merchant vessels and one dating to the 1st-century BCE.
The recently recovered rostrum, predating the aforementioned shipwrecks, provides invaluable insight into the intense naval battles that shaped the ancient world. The Battle of the Aegates witnessed the destruction or capture of a large portion of the Carthaginian fleet, cementing Roman dominance in the Mediterranean. This was the first of three Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, ultimately culminating in the complete destruction of Carthage. Map of the Mediterranean Sea showing locations of ancient battles
