Ad99998 04 077a/eng
Naumachien der Alten
Beschreibungstext eng
Antiquities. XIII. Vol. IV. No. 75., NAUMACHIA OF THE ANCIENTS., Naumachia of the ancient Romans was a great magnificent building in the form ofau Amphithéâtre and very much like a Circus. The large open place encompaffed by the building, was si lied with water at plea^ure, and formed a little lake upon which naval combats orfeafightswere exbibited. The boats ufed in these combats had either one row of Gars, as in (Fig. 2,), or two as, in (Fig. 3.); sometimes they were allô provided with three rows. Criminals condemned to death, sometimes also prifoners of war were the warriors that fought for life and death in these boats, only to amufe the people who were fitting round and to whomthis terrible spectacle was sometimes given by the Emperours. The Naumachia represented in the annexed picture layon theSide of theTyber with an inletfrom that river. One may iudge of the grandeur of these buildings by that which was built in thereign of Augustus. Tt was 1800 feet long and 200 broad, and 30 boats with three rows of oars befides many other little boats had room enough for combat. As the Ancients had no fire-arms, the Cornbatants fought with fpears, pikes, and fwords, and killed one another in a molt cruel m an ner. The victors in these terrible games were not onlv fet at libertv, but also rewarded. 0 J 7
