A War Staged for Applause
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar staged a battle on water without ever setting sail. He ordered a basin dug beside the Tiber River, filled it with real warships—biremes, triremes, and quinqueremes—and forced 2,000 prisoners to fight. This was the first naumachia, a brutal new form of public entertainment.
Augustus Builds Bigger
In 2 BC, Augustus organized an even larger spectacle to mark the opening of the Temple of Mars Ultor. He created a basin over 500 by 350 meters and staged a fight between Persians and Greeks. It involved 30 ships and 3,000 combatants, plus thousands of rowers.
Claudius Uses a Lake
Claudius, in 52 AD, held a naumachia on Lake Fucino using 100 ships and 19,000 condemned men. According to Suetonius, the fighters saluted the emperor with “morituri te salutant”—a phrase not recorded in any other event.
Mock Battles Continue for Centuries
Later emperors staged naumachiae in amphitheatres, including the Colosseum. Over time, these battles became smaller and less frequent, but the practice of mock naval combat survived in parts of Europe into the 1800s.
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar filled a basin beside the Tiber with real warships and thousands of prisoners.
In front of a Roman crowd, they fought a deadly naval battle on artificial waters.
It was the first recorded naumachia—a brutal performance that set a bloody precedent.🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/f5QLVqWbUW
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) May 12, 2025