Rome's Sunken Secrets (Full Episode) | Lost Treasures of Rome | National Geographic

Key Concepts

• Roman Expansion: The process by which Rome grew from a city-state to a vast empire.
• Battle of the Egadi Islands (241 BC): A pivotal naval battle between Rome and Carthage that marked a turning point in Roman history and control of the Mediterranean.
• Maritime Archaeology: The study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of a site on, under, water, or in the intertidal zone.
• Naval Warfare: The use of ships and naval tactics in combat.
• Infrastructure Development: The construction of roads, walls, and other public works to facilitate control and expansion.
• Terracotta: Fired clay used for architectural decoration and pottery.
• Tophet: A sacred burial place, often for children, found in Carthaginian sites.
• ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle): An underwater robot used for exploration and data collection.
• Side Scan Sonar: A type of sonar used to create an image of the seabed.

Discovery of a Naval Artifact and its Significance

Off the coast of Sicily, maritime archaeologists have discovered a mysterious artifact on the sea floor, believed to be over 2,000 years old. This discovery is considered incredibly exciting and may reveal clues about a fierce naval battle that significantly altered Ancient Rome's history. Dr. Campbell expressed hope that the artifact would be recovered in one piece.

Rome's Rise to Power

The video explores how Rome, once a city-state, rose to dominate a vast empire spanning almost three million square miles. Archaeologists are investigating the growth and rise of the Roman Empire, seeking to understand its expansion from a city-state to an imperial power.

Early Roman Ambitions and Defenses

Canadian archaeologist Eve MacDonald highlights the Roman Forum as the essence of the city that became a world empire. She notes that understanding the Romans is crucial for understanding Mediterranean and world history. To illustrate Rome's early ambitions, MacDonald points to a massive defensive wall built in the fourth century BC. This wall, constructed with stones quarried from Veii, symbolizes one of Rome's early conquests.

In the fourth century BC, Rome was a vulnerable city-state, characterized by structures like the Circus Maximus, temples, and mud-brick houses. It was spread across seven hills and protected by a 32-foot-tall wall built in response to repeated attacks. MacDonald emphasizes that this wall signifies both Rome's aggressive conquest of neighbors and its resilience in the face of challenges, operating in a "zero sum game" of conquer or be conquered.

The Battle of the Egadi Islands: A Turning Point

In Trapani, Sicily, maritime archaeologist Peter Campbell and his colleagues from the RPM Nautical Foundation are searching for traces of a brutal naval battle fought in the third century BC – the Battle of the Egadi Islands. Campbell describes it as one of the most important ancient naval battles, a point where history changed. He specializes in ancient marine warfare and hopes the mission will shed light on how Romans mastered the seas for their conquests.

The significance of this battle lies in Rome challenging Carthage, a superpower at the time. Campbell finds it exciting to be part of a project with so little surviving evidence of ancient warships. Historical accounts place the battle off the western coast of Sicily.

Advanced Search Technology

To map the seabed and identify the full extent of the battlefield, the investigators utilize advanced search technology, including side scan sonars. Campbell likens the search area, 5.5 times larger than Manhattan, to searching for objects less than a meter wide from the top of the Empire State Building.

The team identified anomalies on the seabed and faced the challenge of examining targets at a depth of 260 feet. They deployed a cutting-edge Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) equipped with a high-resolution camera, serving as their "eyes on the sea floor." This technology has revolutionized maritime archaeology, making long-lost treasures accessible.

Discovery of a Ram

While examining targets with the ROV, the team detected something approximately eight meters away. Initially thought to be a rock, it was later identified as a significant find. Jim exclaimed, "Bingo!" as the object was revealed to be a ram. Dr. Campbell described it as "a beauty."

This ram, attached to the front of a ship and designed to sink enemy vessels, is an incredible discovery. It extends the known battlefield and suggests it covered a much larger territory than anticipated. The team's next step is to lift the ram for closer examination to determine if it is Roman or Carthaginian. Divers were needed to release it from tangled fishing line.

Excavations in Terracina: Early Roman Expansion

In Terracina, 50 miles southeast of Rome, archaeologists Paul Scheding and Francesca Diosono are excavating a site on a mountain. This location was a central place for worship and a very ancient settlement dating back to at least 600 BC, making it one of Rome's neighbors. They hope the excavation will yield clues about the early stages of Roman expansion within the Italian peninsula.

Inscribed Ingot and Pottery Shards

During the excavation, an archaeologist found an ingot, identified as a piece of lead with an inscription. Dr. Scheding noted the inscription contained Roman letters, including "V" and "A," possibly an "M," and stated, "it's definitely Roman. So we have something in hand that we can work on." While the ingot shows Roman presence, it doesn't confirm the date of their takeover.

Francesca's team found pottery shards, including black clay. Dr. Diosono identified some as large plates from the Roman period, likely from the second century BC, used for containing food. They also found very small, handmade pre-Roman pottery, indicating a time before Rome's arrival. The pre-Roman pottery was found in deeper layers, suggesting a later Roman conquest. Dr. Diosono concluded that Terracina's Roman colony began at the end of the fourth century BC.

Roman Infrastructure: The Via Appia

The video highlights the Via Appia, an ancient road connecting Terracina to Rome, as evidence of Rome's ingenious control tactics. In Rome, Eve MacDonald examines tombs along the Via Appia, dating them to the first century BC, indicating its establishment as a major highway. The Via Appia, built starting in the fourth century BC, was over 360 miles long, the first Roman superhighway, and a vital route for armies and supplies, crucial for Rome's military domination of the Italian peninsula. MacDonald notes Rome's early ability to create massive infrastructure.

Carthaginian Power and Engineering

In Tunis, Tunisia, archaeologist Nejib Ben Lazreg investigates Rome's rival, the Carthaginians. He explores a modern seafront location that was once a military harbor. Carthage's harbor was a masterpiece of ancient engineering, capable of housing up to 220 warships. Lazreg states that Carthage's power stemmed from its control of sea routes.

In the third century BC, Carthage was a major power, controlling Mediterranean territories through its navy. They had fought the Greeks for over 300 years to conquer western Sicily. In 264 BC, Carthage seized the Port of Messana, close to Roman territories, triggering war. Lazreg describes Carthage as an important metropolis in the third century BC. The Carthaginians were master seafarers, and their ships outnumbered the Romans, making the clash off the Egates islands a crucial test of Rome's maritime ambition.

Experimental Archaeology: Reconstructing Roman Boats

In Gunzenhausen, Germany, classical historian Boris Dreyer leads a team of experimental archaeologists in rebuilding two Roman boats based on wrecks found in the Danube and Rhine rivers. Their project aims to reveal the technology Romans used in naval combat and test the boats' speed and efficiency. Dreyer explains that the best-preserved wrecks are found in Germany due to airtight conditions.

Ram Design and Waterproofing

Dreyer notes that the ram's length is an estimation, but its presence is confirmed. The replica boat is a quarter of the size of those used in the Battle of the Egates, with a wooden ram, unlike the larger boats' bronze or iron rams. Dreyer believes the ram design helps balance the boat and reduces turbulence.

The team uses hemp for waterproofing, an ancient method where the expanding wood compresses the hemp between planks, sealing the hull. However, problems arise when hemp is pushed too far, creating gaps that could jeopardize the boat's seaworthiness.

Testing the Roman Replica Boat

Boris and his team, along with 18 students and volunteers, prepare to test their Roman replica boat. They aim to determine its speed and maneuverability to understand if engineering gave Rome an edge in naval warfare. The 2.2-tonne vessel is carefully towed out of the hangar and slowly reversed into the water.

Despite initial concerns about sinking, the boat floats. Water seeps in, but it seems to be within acceptable limits, allowing the planks to expand and lock the hemp. The Roman ship design proves solid.

Maneuverability and Speed

The team rows against strong winds, finding it very difficult. Dreyer notes the lack of a modern keel and the limited grip of the rudders. The flat ancient keel, extending only about 13 inches underwater, causes the boat to drift in windy conditions. Dreyer emphasizes the need for Roman sailors to be well-trained to navigate large ships.

Once back on course, the boat gains speed, averaging four miles per hour and reaching up to eight miles per hour in a sprint. This speed would cause catastrophic damage when ramming another ship. After almost two hours, the team returns to harbor, concluding the boat is easy to maneuver and fast, a success for Roman shipbuilding technology.

Lifting the Ram and Determining Origin

Off the coast of Sicily, divers have cleaned and prepared the ram for lifting. aboard the Hercules, the team, including Valeria Li Vigni, Director of Underwater Cultural Heritage, prepares to lift the ram. The heavy ram is successfully brought up in one piece.

Examination reveals damage, including a crack extending up the ram and damage to the keel. The ram is made of cast bronze and bears traces of the violent clash. The next challenge is to determine if it's Roman or Carthaginian. The lack of inscriptions, which Romans typically added, suggests it is Carthaginian. The size of the ram hints at the ship's dimensions, with large timbers indicating a big vessel. This size might have made it harder to maneuver, potentially leading to its sinking.

The Battle of the Egates and its Aftermath

The video explains that in 241 BC, at the Battle of the Egates, the Carthaginians, though outnumbering the Romans, were heavy with supplies. The Roman navy, now a match for their enemies, outmaneuvered them, ramming and sinking 50 ships. This victory shifted the balance of power in the Mediterranean, paving the way for Rome's overseas conquests. Dr. Campbell states the mission is "rewriting what we know about the Roman navy, the Carthaginian navy and ancient military history."

Carthaginian Decline and Roman Dominance

In Tunis, Nejib Ben Lazreg investigates how the loss of this battle affected Carthage. He examines a tophet, a sacred burial place for children, established around the eighth century BC. The use of this cemetery stopped by the mid-second century BC, only 100 years after the battle. Lazreg finds a vault built by Romans on top of the remains of Carthage, indicating Roman construction and dominance.

The rivalry continued, with Hannibal's invasion of Italy and later Roman invasion and burning of Carthage. By the second century BC, Rome's expansion had engulfed the Carthaginian empire.

Terracina: Temple Construction and Symbolism

In Terracina, after a storm, archaeologists Paul Scheding and Francesca Diosono assess the dig site. The wet soil makes pale pottery more visible, leading to more finds. They examine the ruins of a temple, hoping to date its construction and understand its appearance.

Francesca finds a terracotta piece, likely part of the temple's decoration, possibly a flower. Dr. Scheding identifies a Roman tile as part of the roof, dating it to the second century BC. From the second century BC, Romans built magnificent temples in Terracina, likely dedicated to Venus, overlooking the commercial harbor and symbolizing Rome's power and riches. Scheding describes the monumentalization of these temples as mirroring the empire's growth.

The Terracotta Head of Alexander the Great

Paul discovers an extraordinary terracotta head, believed to be Alexander the Great. He notes the dynamic pose and expression, suggesting a symbol of Rome's power in the East, mirroring Alexander's conquests. The Romans conquered Greece, Alexander's homeland, in the mid-second century BC, establishing themselves as the new military powerhouse of the ancient Mediterranean.

Rome's Imperial Legacy

In Rome, Eve MacDonald examines ancient buildings in the Forum, including the Colosseum, built on spoils of conquest, and triumphal arches commemorating victorious generals. Rome's victory in the Battle of the Egates was a springboard for further conquests. MacDonald emphasizes that these structures display Rome's power and potential for understanding.

The investigations reveal how Rome expanded into its immediate neighborhood, built imposing structures, and developed a mighty fleet that defeated Carthage, leading to control of the Mediterranean. Future excavations are expected to provide more information on how Rome gained such immense power and dominated the ancient world.