Battle of the Egadi Islands

The Battle of the Aegates was fought off the western coast of the island of Sicily on 10 March 241 BC. It was the final naval battle fought between the fleets of Carthage and the Roman Republic during the First Punic War. A unique bronze helmet discovered in the deep by marine archaeologists off the Sicilian coast has been dated to the sea battle. The helmet is a Montefortino, a Celtic style-helmet that had been worn across Europe, also popularly known as a "Roman helmet".

Diving to 120 meters, archaeologists are surveying an area of about five square kilometers, littered with the relics of this decisive war. Bronze helmets, amphora, weapons and ancient battle rams cast in bronze, were salvaged from the seabed.

The first Punic War, with some of the largest naval battles of antiquity, would drag on for more than 20 years. The battle of Egadi, in 241 B.C.E. was a turning point: the Carthaginians were defeated and forced to abandon Sicily. Rome also snatched Corsica and Sardinia.

Reconstruction of a Hellenic trireme