Bronze ram from Sicily - Images Restoration

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I have read repeated references to the lightweight construction of ancient warships,
Resulting in them becoming waterlogged and settling inthe water, but not sinking as such.
How true would this hold for the larger tens and such?
This would infer the danger of being dragged down was not so great?

[Ildar]

1. 2004
2. Catherine D - June 2008
3. Vincenzo T (Punic inscription) - 18 August (discovered) and 6 September (lifted) 2010
4. Claude D (Latin inscription) - May (discovered) and 20 August (lifted) 2011
5. Rachael R - May 2011
6. Cecè P (Latin inscription) - 24 August 2011
7. 17 November 2011 (fishing boat catch): http://it.paperblog.com/sette-rostri-pro...ia-755008/

8. 10-11 June 2012
9. 19 June 2012

8. Daniel Z - recovered
9. not recovered
10. not recovered

http://www.regione.sicilia.it/benicultur...finale.htm

I'am not an epigraphist, but the transliteration could be:

C(aio) Paperio Ti(beri) F(ilius) /
M(arco) Popvlicio L(uci) F(ilius) Q(uaestoria) P(otestate)

Yes, this is how archaeologist Francesca Oliviery interpreted the inscription. For some reason, no one offered any suggestions as to what historical figures named in other sources could these quaestores classici possibly be. Whereas apparently one of them is Marcus Publicius Malleolus, son of Lucius. In 241 B.C.E. (according to Vel. Pat., I, 14, 8 ), in the year of the battle of the Aegates Islands or in 238 B.C.E. (according to Plin. HN, XVIII, 286), he was a plebeian aedile (Ov. Fast., V, 275-294; Tac. Ann., II, 49; Varro Ling., V, 158), and in 232 B.C.E. - a consul (Fast. Cap.; Dio Cass. XII, 18). Overall, it looks like a standard cursus honorum. It appears that for the Publicii aedileship, the date of the foundation of the temple of Flora and the establishment of the Floralia given by Pliny is more preferable than the date given by Velleius Paterculus.

[Eleatic Guest]

Did they publish any guesses about the size or types of the ships based on the form and weight of the retrieved rams?

[MagnusStultus]

Wouldn't a very large foundry be needed to cast a ram that size?

[Eleatic Guest]

Wouldn't a very large foundry be needed to cast a ram that size?

Yes, certainly. But keep in mind these are smaller examples, still a far cry from the superbeasts of the Hellenistic Age. I recall they weigh around 500 kg; one photo shows one of them put on display on a table. The casting quality looks to my raw, untrained eye good. That's why I am asking for new information.

[Alanus]

Another new ram featuring an inscription was also confiscated recently around Christmas of last year.

That, I believe, is now classed as an "Anti-Christmas Gift."
If anyone gets a chance to visit the museum in Trapani, they'll enjoy it. The amount of Greek and Roman antiquities is impressive. From Trapani, you can visit the outer islands on same-day boat trips. I was fortunate to spend a week there, poking around for antiquities. The ancient salt-production ponds are interesting, some of the windmills are still working, and the ponds' sardines scatter at your approach. :-)