In November, 1980, the eastern shallows of the Mediterranean near the
village of Athlit, Israel, yielded a remarkable artifact of ancient
military history: the bronze ram and connecting bow timbers of an oared
warship. It was the first ram ever discovered and thus provided the
first evidence for the warships hitherto known only through literary and
iconographic references.
Recent archaeological studies have provided much information on merchant
ships of antiquity, but the discovery of the Athlit ram now provides
detailed evidence for the very different construction of warships.
Experts on ancient naval construction and tactics, bronze casting
methods and metallurgy, and classical symbols useful in determining the
date and provenience of the ram have thoroughly studied every aspect of
the ram and its timbers. Their research and conclusions are reported
here in full.
Conclusions indicate that ancient shipwrights and armaments experts came
up with an effective, if expensive, design for the ship's hull and ram.
The strong hull of the ship was the actual weapon used against other
ships; the half-ton bronze ram served as the warhead. A heavy ramming
timber and side timbers gave the ship the necessary momentum for
ramming. The blunt end of the three-finned ram would splinter and split
an adversary's hull timbers and seams without bending, breaking off, or
becoming stuck in the other hull.
Fully illustrated with detailed drawings, photographs, and radiographic
images for a unique view of the ram, this volume is an invaluable record
for anyone interested in classical art or military history and for those
who specialize in the technology of ancient maritime construction and
modern methods of investigation.
