Caesar and the Roman Caesar and the Roman NavyNavy

Katie WaltonKatie Walton

LATN 6030LATN 6030

Control of the English Control of the English ChannelChannel

Why cross the Channel?

Up to this point: Veneti

Battle of Morbihan

“No expedition across the channel could be contemplated with the fleet [of the Veneti] intact…”

De Bello Gallico 3.13De Bello Gallico 3.13

• Conflict at Morbihan

• Describes the ships of the Veneti in detail

•Flat bottomed

•High bows and sterns

•Oak

•Solid

55 BCE: Expedition to 55 BCE: Expedition to BritainBritain

• 80 onerariae

• 18 transports

• Naves Longae

• Scaphae/Speculatoria Navigia

• Later –Naves Actuariae & Vectoria Navigia

OnerariaeOnerariae• Used to transport two legions from

Gaul

• Large Sailing Vessels

Naves LongaeNaves LongaeTrireme

• Three levels of oars per side each pulled by one man

• 62 rowers on top level, 54 rowers on middle and lower levels

• Single ram: timber attached to cutwater at foot of bow ending in point 6-7ft from stern

Naves LongaeNaves Longae“Fours”

• 2 levels of oars with two men at each

• 88 oars

Naves LongaeNaves Longae“Fives”

• Three levels of oars

– two men per oar in two upper levels and one man per oar in lower level

• 300 oars

• 10ft deck

• 120 troops

Scaphae & Speculatoria Scaphae & Speculatoria NavigiaNavigia

• Used for scouting and reconnaissance

• Towed behind Onerariae

• Speculatoria Navigia– Oared – Specifically used for location and

interception– Venetian Blue

Naves Actuariae & Vectoria Naves Actuariae & Vectoria NavigiaNavigia

• “Romano-Celtic”Modeled on Veneti Ships

Developed after the storms

• Oared and Sailed

• Flat Bottomed

Naval TacticsNaval Tactics

• Ramming

• Snapping Oars

• Missiles

• Corvus

• Falx

CrewCrewFound on an inscription (describing a Greek “four”):• bow officer

– regulates strokes of oarsmen • helmsmen• shipwright• assistant helmsmen• 5 @ bow and 5 @ stern• 2 catapult-men• 6 archers• masseur• doctor• oar-binder• 20 deck soldiers• 28 military personnel

Bibliography

Caesar. Commentarii de Bello Gallico. 3.13.

Mason, David. Roman Britain and the Roman Navy. Charleston, SC: Tempus Publishing, 2003.

Morrison, J. S. Greek and Roman Oared Warships. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 1996.

Peddie, John. The Roman War Machine. Gloucestershire: Allan Sutton Publishing Ltd., 1996.