Why Rome needed a navy to connect its Mediterranean empire

The Mediterranean formed Rome's internal lines of communication because its empire extended around the sea. A navy was therefore part of how that empire functioned, even though popular accounts often concentrate on the legions. The comparison is with Royal Navy aviation, which can disappear behind familiar stories of Jutland, Hood, and Bismarck. Knowing about an individual operation such as Taranto does not necessarily produce an understanding of the navy's wider aviation capabilities. Both examples show how the best-known arm or battle can crowd other essential capabilities out of historical memory.