History of Wars Summary 15 - First Punic War Part 3: Rome's Naval Construction and the Battle of Mylae

Carthage had long dominated maritime trade in the Western Mediterranean and possessed a powerful fleet. In contrast, Rome had very little experience in large-scale naval battles up to that point. However, to continue the war in Sicily, they needed a fleet to cut off Carthage's sea supply lines and transport troops. Rome built warships modeled after Carthaginian vessels and introduced a boarding device called the 'corvus,' which allowed their soldiers, accustomed to land combat, to leverage their strengths in naval battles. This device acted as a bridge to enemy ships, enabling soldiers to cross over and engage in close-quarters combat. In 260 BC, at the Battle of Mylae, the Roman fleet achieved victory against the Carthaginian fleet. The Roman army fought in a manner similar to land battles, achieving unexpected results. This victory demonstrated that Rome was not just a land power but could also compete with Carthage at sea. Following this, Rome more aggressively pursued operations to secure naval dominance around Sicily.