331. Rome was NOT just a Land Power with Stephen DeCasien

Why the "Roman Land Power" Myth is a Massive Historic Lie

There is a stubborn myth floating around popular culture and older history books that the Romans hated the sea, were terrible at sailing, and let their navy rot the second a war ended. But according to ancient historian and nautical archaeologist Dr. Stephen DeCasien, that is complete history rage material.

In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill dives deep into the ancient Mediterranean to shatter the misconception that Rome was strictly a land power. By exploring cutting-edge underwater archaeology, ancient naval rams, and the industrial scale of Roman shipbuilding, Dr. DeCasien proves that Rome was just as formidable on the waves as they were on land.

Discover how the Romans fought an ancient naval arms race against Carthage during the First Punic War, engineered devastating boarding tools like the Corvus, and deployed massive warships weighing thousands of kilograms at the legendary Battle of Actium. If you want to understand how Rome truly dominated the ancient world, you have to look at their navy.

About the Guest: Dr. Stephen DeCasien

Dr. Stephen DeCasien is an ancient historian and nautical archaeologist specializing in ancient Greek and Roman naval warfare, shipbuilding, and the bronze naval rams used on the bows of ancient warships.

Follow Stephen on Social Media: Connect with him on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @DeCasien

Binge These Additional Episodes Next!

If you loved this deep dive into ancient Rome, check out these highly recommended episodes from the History Rage archive:

Episode 255: Simon Elliott makes the case for why Septimius Severus was the greatest Roman emperor.Episode 296: Emma Southon rages against the myth that Roman slavery was somehow better than Roman poverty.

Follow, Contact & Support History Rage

Do you love historians getting angry about historical inaccuracies? Help us keep the rage train rolling!