Archaeologists uncover evidence of large ancient shipyard near Rome

University of Southampton ^ | September 22, 2011 | Unknown

[decimon]

University of Southampton and British School at Rome (BSR) archaeologists, leading an international excavation of Portus – the ancient port of Rome, believe they have discovered a large Roman shipyard.

The team, working with the Italian Archaeological Superintendancy of Rome, has uncovered the remains of a massive building close to the distinctive hexagonal basin or ‘harbour’, at the centre of the port complex.

University of Southampton Professor and Portus Project Director, Simon Keay comments, “At first we thought this large rectangular building was used as a warehouse, but our latest excavation has uncovered evidence that there may have been another, earlier use, connected to the building and maintenance of ships.

>

The huge building the team has discovered dates from the 2nd century AD and would have stood c. 145 metres long and 60 metres wide – an area larger than a football pitch. In places, its roof was up to 15 metres high, or more than three times the height of a double-decker bus. Large brick-faced concrete piers or pillars, some three metres wide and still visible in part, supported at least eight parallel bays with wooden roofs.

>

The building uncovered by the team has undergone many changes since its construction in the time of the Emperor Trajan (AD 98-117). Excavation within one of the bays has revealed that its use changed over the centuries – once 90 years into its life with the construction of a series of inner partition walls, and then again in the late 5th century AD when changes were made to allow the storage of grain. In the early to mid-6th century AD, parts of the building were systematically demolished, probably as a defensive measure during wars between the Byzantines and Ostrogoths (AD 535-553).

[decimon]

Portus ping.

[svcw]

Interesting.

[decimon]

Kinda interesting is that things are built to a purpose and so may not change much. A current shipyard in S. Korea might be built along the same lines.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Ancient Rome ping

[count-your-change]

I’ve heard of this shipyard before...”Newportius Newsum”.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks decimon. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[Grimmy]

This can’t be true.

I played Rome Total War for years and years and never once built a large navy. Too expensive to maintain fleets, when the coin is better spent on armies full of flaming pigs to beat those pesky Carthaginian elephants.

[Ramius]

Fascinating.

[SunkenCiv]

Heh heh... the Batttle of Thapsus, during the Civil War (Caesar vs Pompey et al) was the last Roman-era major battle using significant numbers of elephants.

The historic (as opposed to the virtual) Romans had five major naval bases (including one on the North Sea, and one on the Black Sea) and rid their sea-covered territory free of piracy.