Imperial Roman Warships 27 BC–193 AD

This powerful navy allowed the Empire to maintain naval supremacy throughout Europe, North Africa and Western Asia for the first two centuries of its existence. Therefore Imperial Rome poured a great deal of manpower, money and resources into its navies, perfecting the use of warships not only at sea, but also on the great rivers of Europe. This meant that large quantities of soldiers, goods and materials could be transported by river, which was fundamental to the success of the great military operations in Germania and Dacia. As correctly noted by Pitassi, water was one of the key elements that decided how the Empire would grow and expand.