Launching an Empire: Naval Warfare during the Roman Republic – a guest lecture by Dr. Jeff Royal – March 1

As the final battle of the First Punic War, victory in the Battle of the Egadi Islands was a springboard for Roman domination of the Mediterranean. The largest number of warship rams known discovered at this site attest to battle events and provide insight into warship construction, the economics of the period, and cultural amalgamation. Replete with artifacts from helmets to amphoras, this singular preserved naval battle site has reshaped our understanding of naval endeavors during the 3rd century BCE.