Dr. Stephen DeCasien

I am currently the Henry A. Kissinger Visiting Scholar Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs. Previously, I was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Humanities at Dalian University of Technology (DUT), China. I hold a PhD in Anthropology (Nautical Archaeology) from Texas A&M University. My research specializes in Greek and Roman maritime history and archaeology, with particular interests in ancient naval warfare, warships, maritime technology, and sea power.

I have published in several peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Archaeological Science, International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, and Journal of Ancient History, as well as popular outlets such as Ancient Warfare Magazine and the Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC). I am also co-editing, with Dr. William M. Murray, The Naval Rams from the Battle of the Egadi (Aegates) Islands in 241 BCE, under contract with Texas A&M University Press.

One of my most widely recognized projects involved the experimental reconstruction and successful bronze casting of a full-scale ancient naval ram, based on a weapon associated with a quinquereme-class warship. Using historically informed techniques, our team completed the first reconstruction of its kind in more than 1,500 years. The project has received international media coverage, including features in New Scientist and Popular Mechanics.

I have also participated in the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) Summer Session (2018) and the American Academy in Rome (AAR) Classical Summer School (2022), which further shaped my training in classical archaeology and ancient maritime studies. My fieldwork experience spans Greece, Italy, and the United States, including work with RPM Nautical Foundation’s underwater archaeological surveys at the Battle of the Egadi Islands (241 BCE) in Sicily and research related to Octavian’s victory monument at Actium (after 31 BCE) in Greece.

Originally from the Atlantic City area of New Jersey, I have also lived in Florida, Texas, and China before moving to Connecticut. Outside academia, I follow the Philadelphia Eagles, read (probably too much!), and enjoy weight training, sports, science fiction films and television, and historically based video games.

Feel free to reach out or follow my research through my social media channels!