The Sicilian Maritime Authority (a real thing, not a fictional creature) said on Friday it had discovered an ancient Roman battering ram believed to have been used in a major battle.

Researchers discovered the incredible weapon while exploring the Mediterranean seabed near the island of Levanzo in August, where the Battle of Aegates took place. Facebook Post From the Overseer: A massive bronze battering ram, once attached to an ancient warship, has been discovered approximately 260 feet below the surface.

The Battle of Aegates took place over 2,200 years ago. According to Live Science. Levanzo is one of the Aegadian Islands.

The piece is decorated with a decorative relief of a Roman helmet in the Montefortino style, featuring three feathers. Explained By Finestre sull'Arte. Despite their beauty, rams were used to hit and sink enemy ships.

” [Aegadi] “Undersea discoveries are always a valuable source of information to deepen our knowledge of the naval battles between the Roman and Carthaginian fleets,” Regional Councilor for Cultural Heritage Francesco Paolo Scarpinato told the media outlet. “To this day, Sebastiano Tusa's intuition is finding increasingly timely confirmation, corroborating the research of archaeologists that has made it possible to identify the scenes of battles that confirmed Roman dominance in the Mediterranean.”

The Battle of Aegates was described as a “Roman naval victory” that ended the First Punic War between the hostile cities of Rome and Carthage in 241 BC. According to To world history. (Related article: The fall of the Roman Empire marks a major historical update that changes everything)

Corruption and incompetence hindered Carthage's success, but Rome ultimately won the battle. Carthaginian mercenary armies often refused to fight, and Rome ended up being superior to everyone else… at least for a while.