08-09-2016, 07:55 PM
(08-09-2016, 06:06 PM)JaM Wrote: At the other side, Rome during first Punic war build up in just 3 months over 100 Quinqueremes, with over 300 men each and another 20 Triremes. Construction cost of Quinquereme would be higher than cost of Trireme ( i assume at least 14-15 talents) while cost of crew would be just marginally larger, as main advantage of Quinquereme was that it required same number of trained rowers per row as Trireme, remaining could be supplemented by two rookies. So, if one Quinquereme cost them about 30 talents, one fleet would cost 3000 talents.. which is like 18 million drachmae if i remember correctly... If they were able to afford such huge price in such a short time, is it really so far-stretched assuming they were also able to procure armors? (now referring to Marian times, with Rome Republic richer, controlling Greece, Carthage, Spain etc...)
Just a quick side-note, but there are some archaeological clues that Polybius may have been exaggerating a bit when talking about all those quinqueremes:
https://www.academia.edu/9532428/_Bronze...2014_33-59
check p3, including the notes at the bottom. I'm pretty sure I read a paper that dealt more specifically with that discrepancy but I can't seem to find it again : (
Timothee.
