[Rockingham]

Quite true. The Romans of the early Republic were of solid farming stock who found the sea of limited appeal except for small scale fishing. And when the Romans built their navy, the ships were at first modeled on a captured Carthaginian vessel. Crewed by land-lubberly Romans, they did not do well in battle until they added a hinged gang plank with a spike.

In combat using the new model ship, the Romans would close with their Carthaginian adversaries, drop the gangplank, and storm across with heavily armed men to kill the Carthaginians. The Carthaginians had no effective defense against that tactic and suffered decisive losses.

In time, the Romans became expert sailors and shipbuilders who dominated the Mediterranean and the European littoral. Yet Rome's defining strengths in combat were evident in their first navy: practicality, innovation, and, above all, a determination to close with and kill Rome's enemies.

[algore]

I have some early roman silver there is lots of it around

the ones with BC dates are especially common and cheap direct from China for some reason

[AlmaKing]

It’s all coming back to me including that plank innovation. Thanks