roman crossbows

[maarten]

I.m looking for any information about (small) roman crossbows. does anyone have a picture of it. I know they were used for hunting. Any reference for their use in the army?

thanks

Maarten

[hoplite14gr]

Check Byzantine "solenarion".
Reconstruction and pics by T. Dawson to mytknowlege so far.
His book on the Byzantine army has it.

Kind regards

[maarten]

Thanks, I will check it out

is there any reference to a late roman 3th or 4th century crossbow

Maarten

[D B Campbell]

(small) roman crossbows. ... Any reference for their use in the army?

The most comprehensive publication is: D Baatz, "Die römische Jagdarmbrust", in: Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 21 (1991), 283-290.

The basic evidence are the two Gallo-Roman reliefs from Haute-Loire (Solignac sur Loire and Flur Saint-Marcel) which depict a crossbow amongst hunting equipment. I never managed to track down the actual reliefs, but you'll find sketches in Daremberg-Saglio, figs. 467 and 468, Maarten.

Edmund Saglio (1877) already equated these with Vegetius' arcuballista, on etymological grounds.

For hand-held mechanical weapons in the Roman army, see D B Campbell, "Auxiliary artillery revisited", Bonner Jahrbücher 186 (1986) 117-132.

[Susanna]

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... c&start=60

I remember this discussion above ;-) )

[hoplite14gr]

3rd or 4th century A.D. balistra image in Osprey's Romano-Byzantine armies.
Kind regards

[D B Campbell]

3rd or 4th century A.D. balistra image in Osprey's Romano-Byzantine armies.

P. 6 -- that's the Solignac relief, thought to date from 2ndC (but could be later).

Angus McBride incorporated it into the background of Plate B. The commentary on p. 39 explains: "In addition to a substantial hunting spear he [early 5th C buccelarius] has a small hunting crossbow."

[maarten]

thanks for the information, guys

Maarten

[Salvianus]

Obviously the evidence is highly debatable and I doubt we can say for sure currently. Comitatus has a crossbow to explore the theory that Vegetius' arcuballista may have been similar to the Haute-Loire carvings & perhaps used used for hunting, rather than a torsion powered weapon. Ours is composite & recurved like the standard bows, with a rolling trigger nut like the find from Scotland.

[url:lwdff0d6]http://www.comitatus.net/arms2photos/crossbow.html[/url]


[url:lwdff0d6]http://www.comitatus.net/arms2photos/crossbowtrigger.html[/url]

One possible interpretation of the ballistarii of Julian's "inadequate escort" mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus in XVI, II is crossbow armed cavalryman, rather than field-artillery(bottom of the page):

[url:lwdff0d6]http://www.comitatus.net/cavalry.htm[/url]

Hope that helps

[D B Campbell]

Comitatus has a crossbow ...

Nice piece, Ste. Is it easy enough to use on horseback?

[John Conyard]

The rather old crossbow belongs to me and gets dragged along to Comitatus events. I will need to replace the prod very soon. It's easy to be very accurate at around 40m. Beyond that accuracy rapidly falls away. Draw weight is about 45lb but with a relatively short draw distance compared to a bow.

On horse back loading depends on the saddle. I like to seat the handle at the end of the stock on the front of the saddle,and pull back the string with both hands. The bolt is loaded, aimed and shot stationary with one hand using the pistol-like grip. On a steady horse it's simple, on a lively horse it's frustrating!

I haven't come across another one like it in the UK. Is there one out there to compare it with?

[D B Campbell]

On horse back loading depends on the saddle. I like to seat the handle at the end of the stock on the front of the saddle,and pull back the string with both hands. The bolt is loaded, aimed and shot stationary with one hand using the pistol-like grip. On a steady horse it's simple, on a lively horse it's frustrating!

So quite a low rate of fire, John?

Alan Wilkins suggested that a horseman's crossbow was cocked/spanned "by a thrust of the leg", but I can't envisage how this would work! Can you?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

If your knee fits against the arm, I can just about see it!

[John Conyard]

I have a 15th century steel hunting cross bow. It has a stirrup at the bottom for the foot, allowing your foot to hold the bow in place while you span with the hands and the leg, all on horse back.

Lacking any form of stirrup on the Roman version of the weapon this does not work. You need to brace the bow so the arms both work to the same degree when spanning. With some horse/saddle combinations I can brace the handle of the bow on the front of the saddle, without the iron trigger digging in the horses spine. This allows for about two shots a minute. But as a large stationary target I wouldn't last long. I would be tempted to shoot dismounted, acting as a dragoon.

But I suppose second class Roman cavalry may have being unable to use re-curved bows on horseback while moving. So a crossbow would them better range than a javelin.

John

[D B Campbell]

But as a large stationary target I wouldn't last long. I would be tempted to shoot dismounted, acting as a dragoon.

Interesting thought, John -- although Arrian (it's all his fault) implies that the shooting is done mounted.