08-11-2008, 04:20 PM
Sven: In researching Roman ships the best reference I've found is Lionel Casson's Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World. His knowledge is impressive, his scholarship is impeccable, and the book has a useful compilation of images from paintings, reliefs, and mosaics. It covers a very broad scope, though, and unfortunately doesn't focus on detail or specific types as much as I'd like.
I'm still looking for a good reconstruction of a keles (Greek)/celox (Latin), a small, very fast rowed/sailing ship used as a courier/light cargo/military vessel. Apparently a well-handled keles could outpace a trireme, based on one of Casson's references, and pirates were fond of them for their speed.
I'm still looking for a good reconstruction of a keles (Greek)/celox (Latin), a small, very fast rowed/sailing ship used as a courier/light cargo/military vessel. Apparently a well-handled keles could outpace a trireme, based on one of Casson's references, and pirates were fond of them for their speed.
Wayne Anderson/ Wander
