Roman naval reconstructions - ongoing projects

[Robert Vermaat]

The very nice video of the Navis Lusoria had me check up on the current Roman shipbuilding projects. (I'll post the Greek ships later).

As far as I know, there are nowadays three projects, and maybe a fourth still.

The first project is a reconstruction of a 'De Meern 1' freighter, which will probably be lauched with a few months.
The ship will be used for educational trips on the rivers where the original once travelled.


The second and largest is the project „Imperium Konflikt Mythos. 2000 Jahre Varusschlacht“. This is going to be a 1st-2nd c. warship, currently under construction in Hamburg.
The planning envisages a launch and tests in 2008, so the ship will be ready for the "Varus battle-Kalriese-2009" festivities.
Image from September 2007:

http://www.mit-im-boot.de/system/files/ ... C08132.JPG
A short video can be seen here.


The third is the Liburne that is going to be constructed in Millingen, The Netherlands, just across the German border. The project is still in the the initial stages of gathering funding.
Newspaper article in Dutch.
Current planning envisages a launch in 2011.

The fourth, of which I doubt that it's still in progress, is the 10-year old project to restore one of the Lake Nemi ships: Project Diana, proposed by the association Dianae Lacus of Nemi, concerns the reconstruction of the Roman prima nave (first ship) of Lake Nemi.
The project still has a website, but there does not seem to be any news after 2001...

[Marcus F.]

Cool projects. I like the Traianic-style ship especially. Seems they took the wreck from Oberstimm as their model. Beautiful.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Good to see so many naval project going. Looking forward to seeing the Greek links too!

[Senovara]

Awesome!

I wish Canada would do something like this.

[M. Demetrius]

Well, Senovara, it's not a boat, but there is Keltica Iron Age Village...There's nothing in the States like that, y'know.

[S AUFIDIUS]

Here an update on the Oberstimm-reconstruction made in Hamburg:

It is completed and made recently some tests near Hamburg.

http://www.mv-online.de/aktuelles/muens ... stest.html


If you click on the three photos below "Bilderstrecke" you get a slide-show.

After the first test runs, the scientist was impressed by the unexpected manoeuvrability. With 20 rowers they reached a speed of 5 knots.

[jkaler48]

Awesome!

I wish Canada would do something like this.

Yes and I can see a Roman galley on the Ohio river in the US encountering
a longship full of Vikings. Just imagine the curses!

[Praefectusclassis]

For the Dutchies among us, it's possible that the Hamburg Oberstimm will come to this country later this Summer. And then there's of course the news that the Millingen Liburna has been given a go ahead with a startup fund of 300,000 euros.

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Can any of our naval specialists give me an estimate of the height and width of the top rails around the fighting decks of 1st and 2nd C. warships.? Do they angle inwards (tumblehome?). I need this info to test how a catapult design would work on board ship.

[Robert]

Good news on the funding, Japer. That should be enough, judging by the quotes I have recieved for the commercial build of an Mainz A und B nachbau. As this will be a sponsored and educational project, there are a lot of "free" things in the project. Of course the research will set you back somewhat AND a liburna is a "little" bit bigger ......
Please be advised we would love to welcome the liburna in our park at some time. Better then displaying it on land and/or leaving it to rot away like the Meern freighter in Archeon.

[Praefectusclassis]

Yeah, we'll see. There'll be some calculating to do for the project leaders to see if a bireme is not too ambitious. On the other hand, it'd be unique...

[Robert]

It WILL be unique!! cry:
But as you said, building more of the same would seem a waste of all the effort, and do little for a growing understanding of these ships. Not to mention the fact that one can well do without a technical archeological consultant (wasn't that some guy called Oorthuys) if the building plans are already available in Mainz and Hamburg .... :roll:

[jvrjenivs]

[url:rzngp45r]http://www.mit-im-boot.de/system/files/images/9+Rudern+5.JPG[/url]

The german project is almost ready it seems
more info: [url:rzngp45r]http://www.mit-im-boot.de/[/url]

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Awsome to see this on the water......hopefully it will be an ongoing thing?
Are there plans for full size warships anywhere, other than Olympia?

[jvrjenivs]

Pictures of the Liburna built in Millingen (NL), situation as of last friday (may 14th).