The Nemi Ships: Emperor Caligula’s lavish floating pleasure palaces

The emperor that we know as Caligula was born with the name Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus on August 31, AD 12.

He was only the third emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and was the son of the celebrated general Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder, the granddaughter of the first emperor, Augustus.

The reason we call him Caligula is based upon the nickname he earned as a child. Caligula meant ‘little boot’, which is what his father’s soldiers called him due to the miniature military boots he wore when he was young. 

In AD 37, following the death of his great-uncle and adoptive grandfather, Emperor Tiberius, Caligula ascended to the imperial throne.

Initially, his reign began with much promise, as he paid for expensive public spectacles and enacted generous policies that were designed to endear him to the Roman people.

According to the ancient sources, he even freed unjustly imprisoned citizens and restored some senatorial powers. 

However, within a year, his behavior changed dramatically, perhaps as a result of a severe illness that struck him in AD 38.

From this point on, Caligula began to exhibit increasingly erratic and cruel behavior. He declared himself a living god and demanded to be worshiped as such.

Also, his extravagant spending drained the state treasury, which led to heavy taxation in parts of his empire. He became known for a series of brutal executions, including those of political opponents and even close family members. 

Emperor Caligula commissioned two ships to be built for the sole purpose of becoming luxurious floating palaces on Lake Nemi.

This lake is situated in the Alban Hills near Rome and was considered sacred to the goddess Diana. In fact, members of the Roman elite often gathered in this region for religious and leisure activities.

Therefore, the emperor may have intended for them to become a central place for his own lavish lifestyle and that of the Roman aristocracy.  

On them he would have hosted elaborate banquets and entertainments to create opportunities to mingle with the aristocracy.

However, the construction of such grand vessels may have also been part of the emperor's desire to demonstrate his wealth and power. 

Each ship measured approximately 70 meters in length and 20 meters in width, which would have made them among the largest vessels of their time.

Built with a wooden hull, the ships featured an advanced system of iron nails and lead sheathing for reinforcement and waterproofing.

Inside, the ships boasted luxurious amenities. Marble floors adorned the interiors, while walls and ceilings displayed colorful mosaics and frescoes.

Some rooms even contained advanced plumbing systems which used a system of lead pipes and bronze valves to allow access to running water for the guests. 

According to the ancient accounts, one vessel included a rotating platform. Its exact use is not made clear but was either for ceremonial or entertainment purposes.

Moreover, the presence of anchors weighing up to 1.5 tons indicated their substantial size and capacity. Their construction clearly required a considerable investment of resources and skilled labor from the workmen. 

In AD 41, following Caligula's assassination, the use of the ships declined. Eventually, they sank into the lake and were forgotten: remaining submerged for centuries.

It was not until the 15th century that their existence resurfaced. In 1446, a local fisherman stumbled upon the remnants of the ships while searching the depths of Lake Nemi, but no excavation followed.

Then, in the 16th century, Cardinal Prospero Colonna wanted to recover some of the relics using some rudimentary methods.

However, his efforts failed and interest in the Nemi Ships waned. In 1895, naval engineer Eliseo Borghi undertook a more systematic exploration with more advanced technology.

His team managed to recover significant artifacts but the ships themselves remained submerged. 

The most substantial efforts to excavate the Nemi Ships occurred during Mussolini's fascist regime. In 1929, Mussolini ordered the draining of Lake Nemi to fully uncover the ancient vessels.

This ambitious project required constructing a canal to divert water from the lake. By 1932, the two magnificent ships were finally revealed and quickly drew international attention.

Following their extraction, the ships were housed in a specially constructed museum near Lake Nemi. However, tragedy struck in 1944 during WWII when retreating German forces set fire to the museum and destroyed the ships.

Thankfully, detailed documentation and recovered artifacts were saved from the destruction and continue to provide valuable insights into the ships.  

Before the destruction of the ships, a number of close studies of the Nemi Ships confirmed several details from ancient accounts.

One key confirmation was the use of the advanced hydraulic engineering pipes. This finding aligned with accounts. Also, a series of marble inlays and mosaic decorations found on the ships validated descriptions of their opulence.

Interestingly, the presence of a rotating platform on one of the ships confirmed historical references to specialized mechanical innovations.

It stunned the archaeologists that the Romans had the capability to integrate such sophisticated mechanisms into their structures. 

Studies also revealed the extensive use of lead sheathing on the ship hulls. This technique, mentioned in ancient texts, involved covering the wooden hulls with lead to enhance durability and prevent water infiltration.

The preservation of this sheathing provided physical evidence of the advanced naval engineering practices employed during the construction of the Nemi Ships.

Also, the anchors of the ships were recovered from the site and did indeed weigh up to 1.5 tons. Overall, the excavation and subsequent studies of the Nemi Ships confirmed many aspects of ancient accounts.

It is one of the rare moments in history where archaeological evidence helps affirm the accuracy of historical sources.