Rams were attached to warships as early as the 8th century BC. Early Phoenician ships were fitted with sharp barbs, sheathed in bronze and positioned just under the waterline; this allowed them to impale enemy ships so they were unable to break free during any boarding action that might follow. By the 4th century BC the ram evolved to feature multiple blades above and below the waterline. Around this time the Greeks developed a blunt bronze ram designed to smash an enemy hull rather than pierce it, enabling them to attack and then easily detach as their stricken foes sank before them. As naval architecture advanced along these lines, prows were eventually reinforced as much as possible in order to withstand and absorb the impact of ramming actions without impeding their ship's performance.
