Roman Naval Battles Timeline

  • The Roman Navy was created in 261 BCE with the outbreak of the Punic Wars (268-148 BCE).
  • The Naval Base was established at Ostia with the construction of 100 Quinqueremes and 20 Triremes.

The Roman Navy was created almost overnight in 261 BCE, and constructed 100 Quinqueremes and 20 Triremes.

First Punic War (268-241 BCE)

  1. Battle of the Lipari Islands (260 BCE)
  2. Battle of Mylae (260 BCE)
  3. Battle of Sulci (258 BCE)
  4. Battle of Tyndaris (257 BCE)
  5. Battle of Cape Ecnomus (256 BCE)
  6. Battle of Cape Hermaeum (255 BCE)
  7. Battle of Drepanum (249 BCE)
  8. Battle of the Aegates Islands (242 BCE)

Second Punic War (218-201 BCE)

  1. Battle of Lilybaeum (218 BCE)
  2. Battle of Ebro River (217 BCE)

Third Punic War (149-146 BCE)

  • Carthaginian Fireships destroyed the Roman Fleet off Utica. (149 BCE)

First Macedonian War (214-205 BCE)

  • A Fleet of 120 Lembos belonging to Philip V of Macedon were defeated and burnt by the Republican Fleet. (214 BCE)

Pompey and the Pirates (67 BCE)

Gallic Wars (58-51 BCE)

Octavian against Mark Anthony (31 BCE)

The Battle of Actium (31 BCE) marked the end of the Quinquereme and Quadrireme as a fighting ship. Instead they were replaced by the Liburnian and the Trireme as the main warships of the Imperial Roman Navy Fleets. It was the end of Ramming as a tactic, and marked the success of Artillery and the Catapult.

Invasion of Vindelicia (15 BCE)

Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 CE)

Gothic Fleets (255-269 CE)

  • A Gothic Fleet of 500 attacks the Aegean (c. 267-8 CE)
  • A second Gothic Fleet of between 2,000-6,000 vessels attacks the Aegean (c. 268-9 CE)

Civil War between Licinius and Constantine I (324 CE)

Battle of the Hellespont (324 CE) was the last Sea Battle involving the Trireme, which became obsolete after being defeated by the smaller 30 oared vessels.

Sea Battles of the Late Roman Empire (428-477 CE)

During the 5th century CE, the Dromon became the war galley of the Byzantine Empire. It was derived from the Liburnian Roman Galley. It differed in that it had a covered deck and the square Roman sail was replaced by the Lateen sail. It was also without a Ram.

 

Posted in .