ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ships of ancient Rome

Well, imagine you're playing with toy boats in a bathtub, just like how ancient Romans built and used ships many years ago. These ships were very important to the Romans because they helped them travel across the sea, carry goods, and even transport soldiers to different places.

The Roman ships were quite big, like a giant bathtub! They were made of wood, just like your toy boats, but much larger and sturdier. These ships had many different designs, but I'll tell you about the most common ones.

One important type of ship was called a "trireme." Imagine this ship like a super-powered speedboat. It had three layers of oars on each side, and a big sail on top that caught the wind, just like the sails in pirate stories. The oars were very long and strong, and lots of rowers sat on benches to row together and make the ship move forward. It looked like a big fish swimming through the water.

Another type of ship was called a "merchant ship." This ship was like a floating supermarket! It had a lot of space to carry goods, just like the grocery store has shelves for different things. The merchant ship had a big sail as well to catch the wind, but it didn't have as many oars as the trireme. It looked more like a giant box floating on the water.

The biggest and most powerful ship the Romans had was called a "quinqereme." This one was like a floating fortress! It had five layers of oars on each side, making it very fast and strong. This ship could take a lot of soldiers on board and transport them to far-off places. It also had a big sail, just like the other ships.

Now, let's talk about how the Romans used these ships. They would load the ships with all sorts of things, like food, clothing, and weapons. They'd also use the ships to explore new lands and trade with other countries. Sometimes, the Roman soldiers would even have big battles on these ships, just like when you play with your toy boats and pretend they are fighting.

The Romans were very skilled at building and using ships. They knew how to navigate the sea using the stars and the wind. They even built special harbors, which were like parking lots for ships, where they could repair and restock them.

So, just like your toy boats, the ancient Roman ships were really important for traveling, trading, and exploring. They helped the Romans in many ways and were like their own big playground on the water!