Harpax
Encyclopedia
The harpax or harpago was a Roman
catapult-shot grapnel created by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
for use against Sextus Pompey during the naval battles of the Sicilian revolt
. The word Harpax itself refers to the special grasping organ by which a male butterfly holds the female at the moment of mating.
The harpax allowed an enemy vessel to be harpooned and then winched alongside for boarding. It was first deployed at the Battle of Naulochus
in 36 BC. Appian
explains the device "called the 'grip,' [was] a piece of wood, five cubits long bound with iron and having rings at the extremities. To one of these rings was attached the grip itself, an iron claw, to the other numerous ropes, which drew it by machine power after it had been thrown by a catapult and had seized the enemy's ships."
The harpax had a distinct advantage over the traditional naval boarding device, the corvus
, in that it was much lighter. The corvus boarding bridge is estimated to have weighed a ton. This device could be thrown long distances due its light weight. It was discharged by a ballista as if it were a heavy dart. Furthermore the grappling device was composed of iron bands that could not be cut and cutting the ropes themselves was impossible due to the length of the iron grapple. Appian notes "As this apparatus had never been known before, the enemy had not provided themselves with scythe-mounted poles."
The casualty totals provide a broad picture of the tool's effectiveness: Sextus lost 180 of a total force of 300 warships - 28 by ramming and 155 by capture and by fire.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
catapult-shot grapnel created by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a Roman statesman and general. He was a close friend, son-in-law, lieutenant and defense minister to Octavian, the future Emperor Caesar Augustus...
for use against Sextus Pompey during the naval battles of the Sicilian revolt
Sicilian revolt
The Sicilian revolt was a revolution against the Second Triumvirate of the Roman Republic which occurred between 44 BC and 36 BC. The revolt was led by Sextus Pompeius, and ended in a Triumvirate victory.- Context :...
. The word Harpax itself refers to the special grasping organ by which a male butterfly holds the female at the moment of mating.
The harpax allowed an enemy vessel to be harpooned and then winched alongside for boarding. It was first deployed at the Battle of Naulochus
Battle of Naulochus
The naval Battle of Naulochus was fought on 3 September 36 BC between the fleets of Sextus Pompeius and Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, off Naulochus, Sicily...
in 36 BC. Appian
Appian
Appian of Alexandria was a Roman historian of Greek ethnicity who flourished during the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius.He was born ca. 95 in Alexandria. He tells us that, after having filled the chief offices in the province of Egypt, he went to Rome ca. 120, where he practised as...
explains the device "called the 'grip,' [was] a piece of wood, five cubits long bound with iron and having rings at the extremities. To one of these rings was attached the grip itself, an iron claw, to the other numerous ropes, which drew it by machine power after it had been thrown by a catapult and had seized the enemy's ships."
The harpax had a distinct advantage over the traditional naval boarding device, the corvus
Corvus (weapon)
The corvus or harpago was a Roman military boarding device used in naval warfare during the First Punic War against Carthage....
, in that it was much lighter. The corvus boarding bridge is estimated to have weighed a ton. This device could be thrown long distances due its light weight. It was discharged by a ballista as if it were a heavy dart. Furthermore the grappling device was composed of iron bands that could not be cut and cutting the ropes themselves was impossible due to the length of the iron grapple. Appian notes "As this apparatus had never been known before, the enemy had not provided themselves with scythe-mounted poles."
The casualty totals provide a broad picture of the tool's effectiveness: Sextus lost 180 of a total force of 300 warships - 28 by ramming and 155 by capture and by fire.