The Rostra in Rome got its name from the ships' battering rams that decorated it from naval victories, as the Rostra was where politicians gave speeches to the people. Speakers at the Rostra platform had to contend with notoriously rowdy Roman audiences, who would yell at and even throw things at politicians if they disliked their speeches.

1. Ships’ battering rams from
naval victories decorated the
rostra. These rams gave the
Rostra (beaks) its name.
The Rostra
was the
speakers
platform
where
politicians
gave
speeches to
the people.
The Roman
audiences
were
notoriously
rowdy. If
they didn’t
like a
speech, they
would yell at
the speaker
and even
throw things
at him.