[Covenantor]

For comparison, here's the 1628 Batavia, a 650 ton vessel...that's capacity not displacment...so the comparison might not be totally valid as the article isn't clear.

Dutch East Indies Company ship Batavia. 186 feet long with 34 foot beam...carrying 341 people.

[Covenantor]

Oops, my bad... 620 tons pepper cargo IS mentioned..
darn droid scrolling

[SunkenCiv]

The Age of Sail came about during the age of gunpowder, and (supposedly) the Romans only used square sails and couldn’t tack. Both would save weight relative to our more recent and familiar sailing vessels.

During Caligula’s reign (Gaius was 3rd in the usual list of Emperors), a 300+ ton obelisk was brought by sea from Egypt, in one piece, in a ship custom made for the project. Even the Romans were impressed by this ship, and they were used to seeing large grain-haulers and whatnot. It was moored in the river and became a tourist attraction.

:^)