Stephen DeCasien, Ph.D.
@sdecasien.bsky.social
Nautical Archaeologist & Ancient Historian • Greek & Roman Maritime History & Archaeology • Naval Warfare, Warships, & Naval Rams • Postdoc Research Fellow at Dalian University of Technology (DUT), China • PhD from TAMU.
http://stephendecasien.com
http://stephendecasien.com
Pinned
Welcome new followers! I’m Stephen, an ancient maritime historian and archaeologist focused on naval warfare, from technology to battle tactics. I’ve worked on sites in Italy and Greece and enjoy connecting with others. I’m always open to collaborations and joint pieces—feel free to reach out!
I was watching an episode of the new show Talamasca: The Secret Order and even though it was just a split second in a scene, I spotted a classically inspired three-bladed waterline ram… I might have a problem. Or the worst superpower.
November 12, 2025 at 12:37 PM
I was watching an episode of the new show Talamasca: The Secret Order and even though it was just a split second in a scene, I spotted a classically inspired three-bladed waterline ram… I might have a problem. Or the worst superpower.
Yuanmingyuan (the Old Summer Palace) in Beijing, China.
November 8, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Yuanmingyuan (the Old Summer Palace) in Beijing, China.
Co-teaching a course comparing Ancient Greece/Rome with ancient China has been a blast so far. In just a few weeks we’ll reach the unit on ancient warships, and my students have no idea what’s about to hit them… they’re about to find out that naval ramming was a global and ancient phenomenon.
November 3, 2025 at 5:02 AM
Co-teaching a course comparing Ancient Greece/Rome with ancient China has been a blast so far. In just a few weeks we’ll reach the unit on ancient warships, and my students have no idea what’s about to hit them… they’re about to find out that naval ramming was a global and ancient phenomenon.
Currently finishing a chapter that includes a small section on the possible modeling and casting methods, as well as the materials used to make the largest rams for the Ptolemaic fleet at Actium (31 BCE). Just thinking how much I miss working there and need to work on that ship classification paper…
November 2, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Currently finishing a chapter that includes a small section on the possible modeling and casting methods, as well as the materials used to make the largest rams for the Ptolemaic fleet at Actium (31 BCE). Just thinking how much I miss working there and need to work on that ship classification paper…
Naval thought of the day:
I think what’s becoming increasingly apparent is that the evidence points to a wide range of ram designs such as conical, boar’s head, and chisel types before the emergence of the three-bladed form.
I think what’s becoming increasingly apparent is that the evidence points to a wide range of ram designs such as conical, boar’s head, and chisel types before the emergence of the three-bladed form.
October 29, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Naval thought of the day:
I think what’s becoming increasingly apparent is that the evidence points to a wide range of ram designs such as conical, boar’s head, and chisel types before the emergence of the three-bladed form.
I think what’s becoming increasingly apparent is that the evidence points to a wide range of ram designs such as conical, boar’s head, and chisel types before the emergence of the three-bladed form.
Looking at the Egadi rams, I can’t help but feel they reveal how strained the Carthaginian fleet had become by 241 BCE. Some appear unfinished, with beeswax seams still visible and tool marks left in place, as if they were rushed straight from the foundry to the ships.
October 27, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Looking at the Egadi rams, I can’t help but feel they reveal how strained the Carthaginian fleet had become by 241 BCE. Some appear unfinished, with beeswax seams still visible and tool marks left in place, as if they were rushed straight from the foundry to the ships.
I’m happy to be invited to give a lecture on my naval ram research at the Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations (IHAC) at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China. Looking forward to visiting and exchanging ideas next month!
October 20, 2025 at 12:36 AM
I’m happy to be invited to give a lecture on my naval ram research at the Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations (IHAC) at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China. Looking forward to visiting and exchanging ideas next month!
Reposted by Stephen DeCasien, Ph.D.
🦔🦔🦔
Prompted by discussion in another post, sharing this link to an article in case others are also interested in #hedgehogs and hedgehog-head boats in Ancient Egypt. Contains cute pictures!
www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/11...
@sdecasien.bsky.social
@chapps.bsky.social
Prompted by discussion in another post, sharing this link to an article in case others are also interested in #hedgehogs and hedgehog-head boats in Ancient Egypt. Contains cute pictures!
www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/11...
@sdecasien.bsky.social
@chapps.bsky.social
www.mdpi.com
October 16, 2025 at 11:41 AM
🦔🦔🦔
Prompted by discussion in another post, sharing this link to an article in case others are also interested in #hedgehogs and hedgehog-head boats in Ancient Egypt. Contains cute pictures!
www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/11...
@sdecasien.bsky.social
@chapps.bsky.social
Prompted by discussion in another post, sharing this link to an article in case others are also interested in #hedgehogs and hedgehog-head boats in Ancient Egypt. Contains cute pictures!
www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/11...
@sdecasien.bsky.social
@chapps.bsky.social
I was asked recently what the “big debates” are in ancient naval studies, the maritime equivalent of the hoplite debate. Three stand out clearly. Here is a short summary of some!
October 15, 2025 at 3:06 PM
I was asked recently what the “big debates” are in ancient naval studies, the maritime equivalent of the hoplite debate. Three stand out clearly. Here is a short summary of some!
Little desk pieces coming together! Featuring a 3D-printed amphora pen holder, an Egadi ram, a possible Actian ram, and a lost-wax cast bronze Egadi ram mini.
October 15, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Little desk pieces coming together! Featuring a 3D-printed amphora pen holder, an Egadi ram, a possible Actian ram, and a lost-wax cast bronze Egadi ram mini.
Four years since starting the Ancient Naval Casting Project! Finishing the bow, the beeswax model, and casting it was the highlight of my PhD. Hopefully future projects will be as rewarding.
October 13, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Four years since starting the Ancient Naval Casting Project! Finishing the bow, the beeswax model, and casting it was the highlight of my PhD. Hopefully future projects will be as rewarding.
The new Age of Empires 2: Alexander the Great campaign comes out next week — and in the intro video there’s a Roman Egadi ram from the First Punic War in 241 BCE. Think I wouldn’t notice! 👀
October 10, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The new Age of Empires 2: Alexander the Great campaign comes out next week — and in the intro video there’s a Roman Egadi ram from the First Punic War in 241 BCE. Think I wouldn’t notice! 👀
I tried it once and that’s it…no more AI for me or for ancient navies.
October 9, 2025 at 12:16 PM
I tried it once and that’s it…no more AI for me or for ancient navies.
Happy to share my article “On Naval Rams (Rostra) at the Battle of Tauris (47 BCE) in the Bellum Alexandrinum” has been accepted by Historia, a journal I’ve admired since my student days in ancient history! You’ll have to wait to find out why Publius Vatinius added rams to merchant ships… or did he?
October 7, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Happy to share my article “On Naval Rams (Rostra) at the Battle of Tauris (47 BCE) in the Bellum Alexandrinum” has been accepted by Historia, a journal I’ve admired since my student days in ancient history! You’ll have to wait to find out why Publius Vatinius added rams to merchant ships… or did he?
Reposted by Stephen DeCasien, Ph.D.
I’ve put together a quick overview of all naval rams and related artifacts on my personal website, along with some relevant publications. It’s meant to serve as a handy reference and a “current count” table. Will updated will more info later!
stephendecasien.com/naval-rams/
stephendecasien.com/naval-rams/
Naval Rams
Archaeologically Attested Three-Bladed Waterline Rams: Current Count: 33 Name:Publication: Acqualadroni RamBuccellato, C. A., & Tusa, S. 2013. The Acqualadroni Ram Recovered Near the Strait of …
stephendecasien.com
October 6, 2025 at 4:27 AM
I’ve put together a quick overview of all naval rams and related artifacts on my personal website, along with some relevant publications. It’s meant to serve as a handy reference and a “current count” table. Will updated will more info later!
stephendecasien.com/naval-rams/
stephendecasien.com/naval-rams/
I’ve put together a quick overview of all naval rams and related artifacts on my personal website, along with some relevant publications. It’s meant to serve as a handy reference and a “current count” table. Will updated will more info later!
stephendecasien.com/naval-rams/
stephendecasien.com/naval-rams/
Naval Rams
Archaeologically Attested Three-Bladed Waterline Rams: Current Count: 33 Name:Publication: Acqualadroni RamBuccellato, C. A., & Tusa, S. 2013. The Acqualadroni Ram Recovered Near the Strait of …
stephendecasien.com
October 6, 2025 at 4:27 AM
I’ve put together a quick overview of all naval rams and related artifacts on my personal website, along with some relevant publications. It’s meant to serve as a handy reference and a “current count” table. Will updated will more info later!
stephendecasien.com/naval-rams/
stephendecasien.com/naval-rams/
“The Athenians, having pursued the defeated for a considerable distance, filled the whole nearby area of the sea with corpses and wreckage.” -Diod. 13.100.1.
October 1, 2025 at 2:26 AM
“The Athenians, having pursued the defeated for a considerable distance, filled the whole nearby area of the sea with corpses and wreckage.” -Diod. 13.100.1.
Every time I say I’m done gaming and I’ll just focus on writing, they pull me back in with stuff like this…
September 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Every time I say I’m done gaming and I’ll just focus on writing, they pull me back in with stuff like this…
Reposted by Stephen DeCasien, Ph.D.
The Association of Ancient Historians meeting will be in Iowa City from April 16-18, 2026. For those new to the AAH, we have preset panel themes; you pick 1 to apply to. The theme overall is Ancient Exchanges in a Global Antiquity. See CFP: abstracts are due by December 1. aah.conference.uiowa.edu
AAH Annual Conference 2026 | The University of Iowa
The 2026 AAH Annual Meeting will take place in person at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA from April 16-18, 2026. We invite abstracts for papers of 15-20 minutes in length. Please submit anonym...
aah.conference.uiowa.edu
September 15, 2025 at 7:43 PM
The Association of Ancient Historians meeting will be in Iowa City from April 16-18, 2026. For those new to the AAH, we have preset panel themes; you pick 1 to apply to. The theme overall is Ancient Exchanges in a Global Antiquity. See CFP: abstracts are due by December 1. aah.conference.uiowa.edu
Another wall-mounted decorative ship with ram? Odd-looking ram design, but the article dates it to the late 2nd–3rd c. CE, which fits. Very similar to examples from Pompeii. Naval rams truly permeated every aspect of Greek and Roman society.
www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/09/a...
www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/09/a...
A Bronze Ram of a Roman Warship to Scale Found in Ancient Iuvavum
In the second courtyard of the Neue Residenz, where scaffolding now rises to shape the future home of the Belvedere Museum of Vienna in the city of Salzburg, Austria, archaeologists have unearthed an ...
www.labrujulaverde.com
September 12, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Another wall-mounted decorative ship with ram? Odd-looking ram design, but the article dates it to the late 2nd–3rd c. CE, which fits. Very similar to examples from Pompeii. Naval rams truly permeated every aspect of Greek and Roman society.
www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/09/a...
www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/09/a...
Now that it’s in Italian news, I can share: a new inscription has been found on Egadi Ram 25.
It reads SER SOLPICIO C F QUAISTOR PROBAVE[T] — “Servius Sulpicius, son of Caius, Quaestor, approved (this).”
This likely refers to the son of Caius Sulpicius Galus, Roman consul in 243 BCE.
It reads SER SOLPICIO C F QUAISTOR PROBAVE[T] — “Servius Sulpicius, son of Caius, Quaestor, approved (this).”
This likely refers to the son of Caius Sulpicius Galus, Roman consul in 243 BCE.
September 7, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Now that it’s in Italian news, I can share: a new inscription has been found on Egadi Ram 25.
It reads SER SOLPICIO C F QUAISTOR PROBAVE[T] — “Servius Sulpicius, son of Caius, Quaestor, approved (this).”
This likely refers to the son of Caius Sulpicius Galus, Roman consul in 243 BCE.
It reads SER SOLPICIO C F QUAISTOR PROBAVE[T] — “Servius Sulpicius, son of Caius, Quaestor, approved (this).”
This likely refers to the son of Caius Sulpicius Galus, Roman consul in 243 BCE.
Reposted by Stephen DeCasien, Ph.D.
April 4, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Reposted by Stephen DeCasien, Ph.D.
It’s out! This paper explores how the naval ram was more than just a weapon, it was a cultural symbol woven into almost every part of ancient Greek and Roman life. Of course, not every ram “portrayal" is fully explored, leaving plenty more to research and discover!
jaha.org.ro/index.php/JA...
jaha.org.ro/index.php/JA...
View of NAVAL RAM PORTRAYALS IN ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME
jaha.org.ro
August 6, 2025 at 1:30 PM
It’s out! This paper explores how the naval ram was more than just a weapon, it was a cultural symbol woven into almost every part of ancient Greek and Roman life. Of course, not every ram “portrayal" is fully explored, leaving plenty more to research and discover!
jaha.org.ro/index.php/JA...
jaha.org.ro/index.php/JA...
I can’t believe I somehow missed this back in 2021! A bronze naval ram was recovered from the Bay of Naples. It’s noticeably smaller than the Egadi examples, likely from a trireme, or perhaps even smaller. Too early to say for certain. Word is that a full publication on the ram is coming soon!
August 29, 2025 at 12:25 PM
I can’t believe I somehow missed this back in 2021! A bronze naval ram was recovered from the Bay of Naples. It’s noticeably smaller than the Egadi examples, likely from a trireme, or perhaps even smaller. Too early to say for certain. Word is that a full publication on the ram is coming soon!
Ancient naval innovations, like polyreme warships, big bronze rams, and catapults, were driven by wealthy autocrats (e.g., Philip II, Antigonus, Ptolemy). When their resources waned, innovation collapsed, and they turned to cheaper tech from non-autocratic actors (e.g., Rhodes, republican Rome).
August 20, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Ancient naval innovations, like polyreme warships, big bronze rams, and catapults, were driven by wealthy autocrats (e.g., Philip II, Antigonus, Ptolemy). When their resources waned, innovation collapsed, and they turned to cheaper tech from non-autocratic actors (e.g., Rhodes, republican Rome).