I'm Clueless, Roman Navy Help needed

[Hamilcar Barca]

What about fire?

 

Naval incinidaries were used well before the Byzantines though they were by no means as destructive. The Rhodian-Roman combined fleet at Myonnesus in 190BC included several small vessels which were fitted with incendiary devices suspended on long poles, threatening to set alight any ship that came near them. These proved tactically sound in disrupting the Seleucid naval formation for fear of getting to close.

 

I have never heard of a clear classical reference to hull mounted balistae before, thus I know nothing of it. I do however suspect that Marcellus may have utilized similar devices at Syracuse in 212BC, as he did with the sambuca.

[Guest Allah]

What I meant with the oramen killing is any ranged-fire tactics that could've been used to disrupt and maim? If I'm understanding the ships right, the oarmen on top, if dead, would disrupt the rowing of the other oarmen because of the dangling oars. Surely you couldn't engage other ships with volleys of arrows that would be effective against infantry, but prior to boarding is it recorded that the marines each had a pilum? Perhaps several javelin to engage the closing target.

[Guest Appius Galerius Aurelianus]

Hello, everyone. I hope I posted this in the right place! (I'm new, sorry)

 

I play on Ultima Online, a MMORPG based in a midieval realm known as Sosaria. I have a guild on there, based off of the Roman Imperial legion, detailed as much as possible provided the restraints the game provides. Currently, the legion is inactive, but I have the ranks and military order established for when it does become operational. Fortunately, I chose the fort's location next to the ocean, and I already have a small sailing ship planned to be used, however I'm faced with one problem:

 

I don't know what the Roman marines were called! I don't even know how to rank them. I'm a horrible Legate, I know, but could anyone help me out?

Salve Allah,I write for The Roman Times Quarterly and my next article is ,Roman Naval Power.I am well versed in this part of Roman History.To answer your question of the Roman Marine Force.Essemtially Roman Battle Vessels were in essence fighting platforms for Roman soldiers.These soldiers were members of individual Legio such as the Legio VI

"Ferrata"(ironsides)or say the legioXX etc.Basically fleets were assinged to the service of the various Legio for different campaigns or patrols such as the Rhine and Danube Rivers which corresponded to the borders of the Empire at a particlar time.I would be more specific at your request on any particulars of Roman Naval History in which you care to delve.Vale,Appius Galerius Aurelianus.Semper Fidelis!

[Neos Dionysos]

I have a question then, has there been any advance yet into the knowledge of the construction of a Trireme? I know we have no actual text that tells us the proper construction of such a vessal, (and we have yet to find a single wreck of one dispite tales of hundreds of ships being lost in a single spot). I ask only because the Modern Greek Navy which has a Trireme and which it lets it go once in a while around near the harbor is a very unstable thing, it cannot even attempt to reproduce the speeds at which are generally recorded by ancient texts and it cannot handle in rough seas and I wonder if it could even handle the astounding manevuors attributed to it during the days of the Delian League/Athenian Empire. Any comments would be appreciated.

[Guest Appius Galerius Aurelianus]

I have a question then, has there been any advance yet into the knowledge of the construction of a Trireme? I know we have no actual text that tells us the proper construction of such a vessal, (and we have yet to find a single wreck of one dispite tales of hundreds of ships being lost in a single spot). I ask only because the Modern Greek Navy which has a Trireme and which it lets it go once in a while around near the harbor is a very unstable thing, it cannot even attempt to reproduce the speeds at which are generally recorded by ancient texts and it cannot handle in rough seas and I wonder if it could even handle the astounding manevuors attributed to it during the days of the Delian League/Athenian Empire. Any comments would be appreciated.

Salve,Neos Dionysos.Iam afraid for the most part you have in essence answered your own question.Most of the ancient Roman Trieme buillt were by tradesman who were members of the closest approximation would be the guild system.These were usually based on a familial basis.The secrets of the abilities of these ships has been lost in the mists of time.Since these ships were of wooden constuction it just stands to reason that over the milenia these ships locations or remains can only be answered by Neptunius.Vale,Appius Galerius Aurelianus.

[Guest Agricola]

With respect to heavy warships, Polybius says (can't find the reference) that the 40 could barely put to sea, 4000 rowers and all. Anything with more than three men per oar hits a serious case of diminishing returns, as you end up with the inside man (men) having to run several paces very stroke which a) tires them very quickly and makes it much harder for them to get any leverage. Anything more than an 8 or possibly a 9 (would 3x3 be even remotely stable?) would therefore be only for show - didn't Philip keep his 16 for ceremonial purposes? The Carthaginians didn't use anything bigger than 5s iirc, and had LOTS of those rather than fewer, bigger ships.

Later, I'd imagine that the 'heavies' in minor fleets did much the same job as Royal Navy station flags in the 18th and 19th centuries; ferrying dignitaries and impressing the natives even though they were completely unsuitable for fighting in local conditions - didn't Agricola have a solitary trireme alongside his liburnians and things? Maybe the Desolation Fleet is hanging on to a 24 to impress the hax0rs...