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How did Rome build a navy to challenge Carthage during the First Punic War?

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Historical map of the western Mediterranean region during the Punic Wars, showing Carthaginian territory in orange and Roman territory in green around 270 BCE. Hannibal's route from Spain, across the Alps, and into Italy between 219 and 202 BCE is marked with a red line. Key battle sites with years are labeled throughout Spain, Italy, Sicily, and North Africa. — Punic Wars The Punic wars led to the destruction of Carthage.

During the First Punic War, Rome recognized that its lack of a navy was a significant disadvantage against Carthage. To address this, Rome leveraged the expertise of conquered Greek city-states and modeled its new fleet of triremes and quinqueremes after a captured Carthaginian warship that had run aground.1

To compensate for their lack of traditional naval experience, the Romans adapted their strengths in land warfare for the sea. They equipped their galleys with the corvus—a hinged boarding ramp featuring a grappling spike—and increased the number of marines on board. This allowed Roman forces to lock enemy ships in place and board them, effectively turning naval engagements into hand-to-hand combat.1

By 260 BCE, Rome had constructed its first large fleet of standard warships. Following various successes and losses, Rome demonstrated its commitment to naval dominance in 242 BCE, when private citizens funded the construction of 200 additional warships to renew the blockade of Lilybaeum, ultimately securing victory at the Battle of the Aegates Islands.2