Artillery on Early Roman period warships in the Eastern Mediterranean: The example of the ballista

Throughout its history, Rome placed great importance on military matters due to its political structure. Although Rome was adept at land warfare during the Kingdom and Republic periods, it was not very effective at sea. However, roughly with the transition to the Imperial period, Rome began to dominate the Mediterranean. This rapid rise was primarily due to the shipbuilding techniques they learned from the Carthaginians. By quickly producing ships, Rome increased its naval power and began to make a name for itself at sea as well as on land. Every war requires equipment and strategy. Rome demonstrated its naval superiority through its developed strategies and engineering skills. The Roman army, known for its strong land strategies, developed its own strategies for naval warfare to keep up at sea. By turning their ships into battlefields and producing ships with effective maneuvering capabilities, they became masters of the seas. The core of this study examines the heavy weapons on ships and addresses possible errors in ancient sources. Specifically for the balista, research and drawings have been conducted.