Ancient Ufos

Mysterious celestial phenomena have appeared consistently throughout history, although man’s preoccupation with strange aerial objects and visions seen in the sky intensifies and subsides according to the socio-cultural, political and historical events of the time. Conceding that a large part of the recorded sightings available in the literature could be explained away as misinterpretations of meteors or atmospheric phenomena, we remain, however, with some accounts that are genuinely interesting and intriguing.

Plutarch, in “Life of Marius”, XVIII, writes (around 103 BC) that “from Ameria and Tuda, two cities of Italy, it was reported that at night there had been seen in the sky flaming spears and shields, which at first separated, then clashed together assuming the formations and movements of men in battle. Finally, some of them would give way, while others pressed on in pursuit and all went away to the westward.”

Livy is also a good source for strange visions in the skies: “Prodigies in large numbers and the more they were believed by men, simple and devout, the more of them used to be reported, were reported that year (214 BC)… At Hadria an altar was seen in the sky and about it the forms of men in white garments… certain men asserting that they saw armed legions on the Janiculum aroused the city to arms.”

Another essential reference of startling sightings under the Roman Empire is Julius Obsequens’ book “Prodigiorum Liber”, reprised by Conrad Lycosthenes (1552). Regarding the year 82 BC, we can read the following story that, by the way, was also mentioned by St. Augustine in the “City of God”:

“During the era of Sulla a great clash of standards and of arms with dreadful shouting was heard between Capua and Volturnum, so that two armies seemed to be locked in combat for several days. When men investigated this marvel more closely the tracks of horses and of men and the freshly trampled grass and shrubs seemed to foretell the burden of a great war.”

Tales of phantom ships sailing through the clouds are also one of the wondrous explained phenomena one can find in the forgotten annals of ancient history. We cite from the “Historia Anglorum” of Matthew of Paris:

“On the night of the Lord’s Circumcision (Jan.1, 1254 AD), at midnight, in serene sky and clear air, with stars shining and the moon eight days old, there suddenly appeared in the sky a kind of large ship elegantly shaped, and well equipped and of marvelous color. Certain monks at St. Albans saw it… for a long time, as if it were painted, and a ship made of planks; but finally, it began to disappear.”