Shipboard castles appeared on merchant cogs adapted for war with raised fighting structures. Roman and Hellenistic precedents make the medieval practice a revival rather than a clean beginning. Raising a ship's fighting position gave its crew an advantage when firing or fighting downward onto an opponent. The example connects the appearance of early warships with a recurring tactical value placed on height.
Notable Point · 51:49-54:48
From cogs to fighting castles: why height mattered
Raised fighting structures turned merchant cogs into early warships and revived an older tactical preference for height over an enemy deck.