There are reports of ancient Romans seeing mysterious objects fly through the skies, including phantom ships, silver rain, and even entire armies.
Public DomainThe ancient Roman reports of strange objects have been compared to modern UFO sightings.
While we may think of UFOs as a relatively modern phenomenon, people have been seeing — and writing about — strange objects in the sky for much of recorded history.
Often, sightings that were once inexplicable now make sense thanks to our improved understanding of science and weather. For example, some “fiery signs from the sky” noted throughout history are now widely believed to have been auroras.
However, some historical events puzzle even the most well-read experts. For example, why are there multiple reports of ancient Romans seeing mysterious objects fly through the sky?
Did Ancient Romans Really See UFOs?
In a video with over 13,000 views, TikTok user Michael Grimm (@mikeygrimm13) claims that there are numerous examples of ancient Romans “recording metallic objects, phantom ships, silver rain, and entire armies moving through the sky — and some of these accounts were written down by the most respected historians of the ancient world.”
While Grimm says that he’s “not saying the Romans saw UFOs,” he notes that there are many peculiar sightings in ancient history that leave modern historians wondering what really happened.
“One of the strangest stories tells of a battle in which a mysterious metallic disc-like object supposedly fell from the sky,” Grimm recounts. “The Romans viewed it as a divine sign and a gift from the gods, because that event was followed by a massive Roman victory.”
There were also multiple reports of ships seen floating above the Earth.
Ronnie Robertson/Wikimedia CommonsA 218 B.C.E. account reports phantom ships sailing in the skies above Italy.
“In 218 B.C., during the terrifying days of the Second Punic War, ancient accounts claim that strange phantom ships were seen in the sky above Rome,” Grimm states. “Decades later, in 173 B.C., a Roman historian recorded another bizarre event near the ancient city of Lanuvium. And, according to his account, a great fleet of ships appeared in the sky — not one, an entire army of ships.”
These accounts are paired with other strange phenomena seen in the sky. Grimm says that, in 76 B.C.E., a spark appeared in the sky, grew to be the size of the Moon, and then receded. In the first century C.E., a Jewish historian named Josephus claimed there were “armies and chariots seen hurtling themselves through the clouds.” Then, in 196 C.E., Grimm states that a strange, silver rain fell from a perfectly clear sky. While samples of this metallic substance were collected, they later disappeared.
“So, what did they actually see? Was it natural phenomena they couldn’t understand, and they explained it the only way that they could? Were they stories exaggerated over centuries? Or did the people of the ancient world occasionally witness something in the heavens that even we today, with all our modern knowledge, would struggle to explain?” Grimm concludes.
The Evidence Of Ancient UFOs And Other Phenomena In The Skies
Grimm is correct that ancient historians occasionally recorded bizarre events in the skies. Whether they actually happened — or occurred in the way they described — is a different story.
Overall, the dates and events described by Grimm really were recorded in the way that he says, though he gets some details wrong. For instance, he states that the appearance of a “mysterious metallic disc-like object” was viewed by the Romans as a divine sign, as it preceded a “massive Roman victory.” However, according to Plutarch’s Life of Lucullus, the object was shaped like a wine jar — and upon seeing it, both armies were astonished and simply separated without fighting.
But what were all of these ancient sightings? Given that much of the record at the time only made passing reference to these phenomena, it is difficult to say. However, some modern historians have theories.
For example, Plutarch’s Life of Lucullus may be referencing a bolide, or an exceptionally bright meteor. Although the text describes it as wine-jar shaped, a Roman wine jar was round at the bottom with a thin spout. The comparison may have been intended to describe a trail following the larger object. A bolide may also explain the spark that seemed to grow to the size of the Moon.
KPNO/NOIRLab/Wikimedia CommonsThe Romans may have actually been seeing bright meteors rather than UFOs.
Claims of ships appearing in the sky have other potential explanations.
In the case of the 218 B.C.E. account of phantom ships seen over Italy, Livy’s report pairs this event with reports of a talking infant, a self-moving spear, white human-like figures, a shower of stones, and an ox climbing a building. This section is also prefaced with a note saying that, given the anxieties of the time, many of these portents were being reported — and believed — without evidence. All of these factors make it difficult to determine what actually occurred and what was simply reported out of fear.
There are plenty of alternate explanations for these and other similar tales. Historians may have been referring to clouds that bore a striking resemblance to ships. They could have also been describing events not literally but symbolically, with the sight of ships in the sky meant to demonstrate how coming events were forewarned.
Public DomainThe phenomena in the sky described by Roman historians may have been strange cloud formations, such as those pictured in this Renaissance painting of a miraculous summer snowfall in Rome.
But as far as the silver rain is concerned, no one is sure. While Cassius Dio wrote that it occurred, there is no surviving chemical description, preserved sample, independent eyewitness account, or reported smell, texture, or temperature. Still, historians have tried to determine what the substance could have been, with theories ranging from falling spider silk to a metaphor for ongoing political turmoil.
So, did the Romans really see UFOs? Or were they simply a mix of mirage, metaphor, misunderstanding, and mythmaking? We may never know.
All That’s Interesting reached out to Grimm via email.
After reading about the “UFOs” spotted by ancient Romans, discover nine ancient mysteries that still puzzle historians to this day. Then, learn about Commodus, the most disastrous ruler of ancient Rome.
