Ancient Roman Ships - Nemi Ships, Ancient Black Sea Shipwrecks, Sinop D, Obelisk Ships, Caligula's Giant Ship, Isis (Paperback)

Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Not illustrated. Excerpt: The Nemi Ships were ships built by the Roman emperor Caligula in the first century AD at Lake Nemi. Although the purpose of the ships is only speculated on, the larger ship was essentially an elaborate floating palace, which counted quantities of marble, mosaic floors, heating and plumbing such as baths among its amenities. Both ships featured technology long thought to be recent inventions. It has been stated that the emperor was influenced by the lavish lifestyles of the Hellenistic rulers of Syracuse and Ptolemaic Egypt. View of Lake Nemi from the Sacred WayLake Nemi (Italian:, Latin: ) is a small circular volcanic lake in the Lazio region of Italy 30 km (19 mi) south of Rome. It has a surface of 1.67 km (0.6 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 33 metres (108 ft). There is considerable speculation regarding why the emperor Caligula chose to build two large ships on such a small lake and from the size of the ships it was long held that they were pleasure barges. However, as the lake was sacred, no ship could sail on it under Roman law (Pliny the Younger, Litterae VIII-20) implying a religious exemption. Caligula particularly favoured the Egyptian Isis cult which he had established in Rome and also supported that of Diana Nemorensis which, in the Roman tradition of syncretism, he likely viewed as an aspect of Isis. Situated on opposite sides of the lake and atop the crater walls, are the towns of Genzano which was dedicated by the Romans to the goddess Cynthia, a cult associated to that of Diana Nemorensis and Nemi, which did not exist in Roman times. The name Nemi derives from the Latin nemus Aricinum (grove of Ariccia), Ariccia being an extremely important nearby town associated with the worship of Diana and the god Virbius. L... More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=5500311