When the Romans realized they couldn’t out-sail the master mariners of Carthage, they did the next best thing: they turned sea battles into land battles. The result? The corvus — a 36-foot wooden boarding bridge with a giant spike that could turn any naval engagement into a brawl.

In this History with Dad Tangent, we’ll explore how one ridiculous-looking contraption changed the course of the First Punic War, why it worked brilliantly in calm seas and disastrously in storms, and what it teaches us about Roman ingenuity (and gravity).

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Overcast — and if you’re enjoying the voyage, support History with Dad at buymeacoffee.com/historywithdad.