First Punic War Rome captured ship 100 quinqueremes corvus

Rome copied a captured ship to build a fleet

100 ships in 2 months

During the First Punic War, Rome used a captured Carthaginian ship as a model to build 100 quinqueremes in two months. Rome fitted them with the corvus, a grappling device that let crews board enemy ships and helped overcome Carthage’s naval advantage.

The name “Middle Ages” reflects a Renaissance view

Renaissance humanists used the label for an era they saw as standing between classical antiquity and their own time. They viewed their scholarship as restoring a direct link to the ancient world, so the name reflects their view of the period, not just a neutral label.

A mantis shrimp's punch can strike its prey twice

Some mantis shrimp swing specialized clubs so quickly that the surrounding water forms vapor bubbles. The first impact comes from the club itself; collapsing bubbles then create additional pressure pulses through cavitation. These forces can help crack hard shells. The animal's weapon combines a mechanical blow with an extreme fluid-physics effect.

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First Punic War Rome captured ship 100 quinqueremes corvus

Rome copied a captured ship to build a fleet

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