It’s not known when the first armored ships were built. The ancient Greeks said they had one in the third century B.C., named the Syracusa, that had eight armored catapult turrets, a gymnasium, a pool, gardens, and a temple. It was sort of a combination luxury liner and superfreighter that could carry 1,800 tons of wheat. The huge lead-plated ship, built under Archimedes’ supervision, was so bit it could enter only one harbor through they didn’t realize this until after it was built.
It made only one voyage – from Sicily to Egypt – where it was given to Ptolemy of Alexandria as an oddity.
Bonus:
According to Wikipedia, Ptolemy’s son tried to build a ship even bigger and more amazing. It ended up being so big that it literally could not move, even though it had more than 4,000 oarsmen!
Source:
Stephens, John Richard. “Eyewitness Reports.” Weird History 101: Tales of Intrigue, Mayhem, and Outrageous Behavior. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2006. 21. Print.
Further Reading:
No comments, yet...