SHIPS ON ROMAN COINS

Abstract

Summary More than 250 Roman coin types bear ships as their principal motif. These depictions cannot be assumed to be literal copies of Roman vessels. Their consistency and accuracy within each type and period must be tested to validate their use as historical documents. This having been done, a comparatively detailed picture of the form and development of Roman ships can be constructed from numismatic evidence. The closely datable nature of the evidence allows a more accurate assessment of the evolution of Roman vessels than is possible using any other data, and suggests that significant alterations need to be made to the accepted chronology of changes in Roman craft. Such alterations also have consequences for our understanding of the changing role of the Roman navy.