Aplustrum
Aplustre (Latin aplustre),or aphlaston (Greek),is a decorative extension of a ship sternpost,usually resembling a rooster tail. Besides rooster-tail forms,aplustres could also resemble the head of a goose or swan; this gave rise to another name,anserculus (Latin for "little goose"). Aplustres,like ship hulls,were brightly painted. Homer,for example,called the ships of Odysseus "red-cheeked" (Homer,Iliad,II,637) and "black" (Homer,Iliad,II,644; 652).
Aplustr. Reproduced from Sheffer J. De milita navali veterum. Ubsaliae,1654. P. 157
Various forms of aplusters. Reproduced from Sheffer J. De milita navali veterum. Ubsaliae,1654. P. 159In battle,the aplustre was defended as fiercely as a century standard,because the ship itself functioned as the unit. Aplustres were often taken as war trophies. Juvenal also mentions this: "... and the banner of the defeated trireme" (Juv. 10.134-136).
Image of aplustr on the coin. Reproduced from Sheffer J. De milita navali veterum. Ubsaliae,1654. P. 125Related topics
Castrum,Trireme,Sternpost,History of the Republican Fleet of ancient Rome
Literature
- Sheffer J. De militia navali veterum. Ubsalie 1654. P. 125 - History of the Military Fleet of Rome and Byzantium";. Bannikov,Morozov; SPb,2014; pp. 64,65
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