Ancient Romans reach the Americas before Columbus

[guy]

Here’s a fun article that seemed initially ridiculous ... only initially.

Quote

One of the most trustworthy artifacts offering evidence of the ancient Roman presence in the Americas is the small Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca head of supposed Roman origin found in Mexico back in 1933.

Pratt also noted that in 1972, scuba divers off the coast of Honduras found the hull of a ship with a cargo of Roman amphorae. More amphorae were discovered in South America, off the coast of Venezuela and fifteen miles off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1976.

Again, off the coast of Brazil, divers discovered a sunken ship from the first century B.C. containing hundreds of Roman urns. However, the Brazilian government banned any investigation to protect the reputation of the Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral, who is credited with “discovering Brazil.” Roman amphorae were also discovered off Venezuela two years later.

 

 

https://www.ancientpages.com/2021/05/19/did-ancient-romans-reach-the-americas-long-before-columbus/

 

Summary: Sure, the idea that ancient Romans visited the Americas before Columbus seems far fetched. It has been recently accepted, however, the ancient Romans had at least trading posts in the Indian subcontinent.

 

 

Soon, historians will be suggesting that the Chinese Admiral Zheng had visited the Americas about a half century before Columbus (1421). Wait. You mean that theory is now at least considered?

I am not sure of the significance of reportedly ancient amphora found off the coast of Brazil. Could these be Greek or even Phoenician, instead?

 

 

 

guy also known as gaius

 

 

Edited October 14, 2021 by guy

[caldrail]

Roman ships used the trade winds to travel to India and back once a year. Lucrative business apparently with ports like Berenike on the Red Sea coast making a fortune in customs duties/taxation. That wasn't possible with America, prevailing winds tending to be north easterly. It's hard to imagine a Roman ship being prepared for a three thousand mile journey or more, but anecdotal evidence from China shows that Persian Gulf sailors knew how to circum-navigate Africa and how long it would take to reach Rome by sea. 

I won't accept the idea of Roman contact with America until something concrete emerges (pun intended) but I accept the possibility that some daring and resourceful Roman crew managed it, at least until the ocean conditions got the better of them, though it must be realised that without regular contact and the ruthlessly cutthroat mercantile competition, who would have known America was out there? It's a long way to go on a whim.