The Corvus was a Roman naval boarding device used during the First Punic War (264–241 BCE). It consisted of a wooden bridge approximately 36 feet long, mounted on a pole at the prow of a warship. Operated by a pulley system, it could be swung onto an enemy vessel, where a heavy, downward-facing spike would pierce the opponent's deck, locking the two ships together. This innovation was first used with decisive effect at the Battle of Mylae in 260 BCE, transforming sea battles into close-quarters

Boarding Party gets the job done on HMAS Darwin