I saw this curious object over on FB RAT, and had never seen a brass knuckle looking archer's release. Apparently called a 'gemini' it looks like this:
http://youtu.be/8ZAuSJ1G4nk
And of course, just because I've never seen it doesn't mean anything.
I doubt it's late Roman, as by the 4th century they were switching to thumb-draw from the Alans/Huns.
(07-08-2016, 07:54 PM)Flavivs Aetivs Wrote: [ -> ]I doubt it's late Roman, as by the 4th century they were switching to thumb-draw from the Alans/Huns.
Do we actually have hard evidence for this apart from Syrian thumb ring finds? It IS feasible, but I don't recall any proof on this.
So thing is, this "bow-puller" surfaced here and there. There is an uncited bad quality photo in Timeless Bowhunting p. 109 (check Google Books), and also
an 1918 publication. It cites a few finds (will check these later), but absolutely rejects any association with bows. McDaniel thinks it might be an amulet of some kind.
Quote:Do we actually have hard evidence for this apart from Syrian thumb ring finds? It IS feasible, but I don't recall any proof on this.
Mostly literary, some artistic. I don't have time for an in-depth response at the moment, but Vegetius and Ammianus both mention using the steppe draw vs. the older three-finger draw.
(07-12-2016, 07:13 PM)Flavivs Aetivs Wrote: [ -> ]Quote:Do we actually have hard evidence for this apart from Syrian thumb ring finds? It IS feasible, but I don't recall any proof on this.
Mostly literary, some artistic. I don't have time for an in-depth response at the moment, but Vegetius and Ammianus both mention using the steppe draw vs. the older three-finger draw.
Really Evan?
I'd be very interested in any references with where to locate this information in both Ammianus and Vegetius as I'm not aware of this.
I will double check. I'm almost 100% certain Vegetius does (although I don't have access to the Milner Translation).
Ammianus might. I don't honestly remember. It may have been in reference to the Armenian Horse archers or the unit of Schola Palatina Horse Archers he discusses.