They lived by wind and wave, and knew these waters well. Their people were lords of the sea. Few built finer craft. Few sailed faster... or farther. But none of that could save this ship. The sea would rise up and conceal its fate for nearly an eternity. Summer 1997. The US Navy's nuclear submarine, the NR-1 is on a mission in the eastern Mediterranean. The sub's advanced sonar detects several large objects in deep water that appear to be shipwrecks. Though pressed for time, the crew decides to take a quick look. A rough set of coordinates and a shadowy videotape are recorded on the fly. Later, the crew will send word to a former naval officer- who is also one of the greatest undersea explorers in the world. The man who discovered the Titanic, the Bismarck, and many other shipwrecks, Robert Ballard is immediately intrigued. The sheer number of ceramic jars is impressive- but their meaning escapes this marine geologist. Well, not being an archeologist, all I could tell was it's an ancient ship, but I didn't know anything more than that. It lies at a forbidding 400 meters depth. Is it worth investigating? Ballard will seek the advice of an expert. Throughout the Mediterranean, most shipwrecks have been discovered in shallow water.