Page 2 - allegatooa_25351

Arms and armour
naval warfare. Such ‘armoured beaks’
became popular after the Roman vic-
tory over the Latin League in the 338
BC Battle of Anctium, that cleared the
way for the conquest of central Italy.
Bronze rams captured from enemies’
fleets were used to decorate the base
of the platform on the north-western
side of the Roman Forum, where ora-
tors used to speak; from that time on
the platform was called a ‘rostra’.
The rostrum also became an element
of decoration for military monuments.
It was adopted as a popular image of
naval victory and maritime supremacy
in Roman political propaganda and
as one of the most powerful symbols
of Augustan rule after the end of the
Civil Wars. From the time of the Punic
Wars we read about the dedication of
rostral columns (monumental pilas-
ters decorated with naval rams topped
by a statue) to glorify generals of the of the prow.
Roman Republic.
The most famous one is still linked
to the history of Roman Sicily. Erected
in honour of Caius Duilius for defeat-
ing the Carthaginian fleet at Mylae
(Milazzo, 30km west to Messina)
in 260 BC, at the beginning of the
First Punic War, it was placed in the
Roman Forum. Over 200 years later, it
was used as the model for the rostral
6 8
Minerva November/December 2011
4. Officers of the
Guardia Costiera
recovering the
rostrum on the seabed
of Acqaladroni.
5. The rostrum
found on the seabed
of Levanzo in
September 2010.
6-7. Rostra depicted 4
on Roman coins. 5
6. Silver denarius of
Octavian representing column erected not far from it in the words of ancient authors and depic-
a Naulochus name of Octavian, after the victory of tions on marble reliefs and on coins,
commemorative Naulochus (6 and 7). so it is exceptional to find an original
monument (Victory bronze rostrum in its entirety. The best
standing with wreath Octavian, himself, displayed ene- chance of recovering one, although
and palm branch on mies’ rostra for immortalising his most extremely rare, can only come from
a military trophy emblematic naval victory at Actium the sea.
decorated with a in Epirus, where he inflicted a crush-
rostrum) – Italian ing defeat upon the fleet of Antony and This explains the importance of the
mint, 30-29 BC (Photo Cleopatra in 31 BC. In the nearby city Acqualdaroni find. In fact only nine
courtesy of CNG Coins, of Nicopolis a monumental open-air examples are known to have bee recov-
Sale 76/2007, Lot 1318; sanctuary was built to commemorate ered in total: besides one from Pireo
7. Silver denarius of the battle; the lower terrace retain- (Athens), one from Athlit (Israel) and
Octavian representing ing wall still preserves an impressive one in Germany, as many as six were
the rostral column series of hollows depicting the anchor- found in Italy and no fewer than five
celebrating the victory shaped cuttings to hold the bronze in Sicily between 2004 and 2011, four
of Naulochus – Italian rams of Antony’s ships.
mint, 30-29 BC (Photo
courtesy of CNG Coins, Unfortunately, almost nothing
n. 873008). remains of the bronze rams, them-
8. Rear view of the selves, since they were melted down
Messina ram with and recycled, but a virtual reconstruc-
wooden fragments tion based on the size of the cuttings
has allowed archaeologists to calculate
the dimensions of the Actium rostra.
Of this and many other monuments,
nothing has survived other than the
7
33