Ships of Aristides of Rhodes
Salve, friend! Khaîre hó phíle! Are you looking for a ship? Look no further, I am the magister navis for the sweetest ship in this port!
Lentulus Vetus is my name. My ship is a large freighter, the Poseidon, commanded by the Kybernetes Amarantus of Rhodes. He’s an experienced captain, don’t you worry! She’s a big ship too as you can see, and ready to haul anything from marble, stone, or timber to animals, oil, cloth, or spices.
We make for Puteoli or Ostia, depending on the cargo, so inquire for each sailing. We also often stop at Rhodes or Paphos, and sometimes Syracusa or Myra.
We usually sail to Rome and back twice in a season. That’s March 10 ‘til November 12 at the latest. The rest of the year is mare clausem – that’s a closed sea, because of the bad weather. Depending on the weather the gods send us, and any stops we make, it takes about a month from Seleucia to Rome, give or take several days. A round trip is about half a month to a month longer – plus any time at the docks in Ostia or Puteoli.
The ship does not leave port on August 24, October 5, November 8, or the end of any month. Everyone knows how unlucky those days are!
Our ship can carry your cargo to your agent or customer in Puteoli or Rome for a fee. Ship cargoes are covered under terms of the Rhodian sea laws through lacatio conductio contracts in a Roman court. In the event there are any losses of cargo – from piracy, throwing cargo overboard to save the ship in a storm, or other necessary circumstances – any loss will be distributed over all the parties who had cargo aboard, plus the shipowner.
The owner of my ship also has another ship sailing from this port. The Atargatis should be on the way back from Rome now, if you can until next month.
Hmmm, passengers, eh? Well, we book deck passage for travelers and their servants. Only the real big men – with a big purse too! – get the extra cabin in the stern.
We recommend you bring the following luggage for you and your slaves: mattress, bedding, curtains or tent, pots, pans, food, oil, wine, barber tools, books, and anything else you require until we reach the next port. Clean water will be provided on the ship.
Make sure you’re ready to go by the Ides, when we hope to sail. May the Gods be willing! Listen for the heralds to announce the departure of our ship along the Seleucia waterfront before departure if the omens are good.
Read the passenger notice before we sail!
Harbor Facilities
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Quay 4
