Roman Scorpion / Catapult scale reconstruction

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Here are some pics of the ESG mini Catapulta.

That's sweet. But d'you think it really needs that stand?! :lol:

At least they refrained from adding wheels or a dedication to the Emperor :wink:

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

About the mini catapulta..... were any ever found ?

I know the ESG is always on about being historically accurate, as is the Gemina... however, i do not know of any of these ever having been found...

Just like the case of the manuballista...

so... any evidence from archaeological finds will be most welcome !!

M.VIB.M.

[D B Campbell]

however, i do not know of any of these ever having been found...

Presumably, it is based on the little Xanten catapult.

[P. Clodius Secundus]

About the mini catapulta..... were any ever found ?

I know the ESG is always on about being historically accurate, as is the Gemina... however, i do not know of any of these ever having been found...

Just like the case of the manuballista...

so... any evidence from archaeological finds will be most welcome !!

M.VIB.M.

There are a number of washers and one nearly intact frame, Xanten, of roughly this size that date from the wood-framer era. The washers found to date seem to cluster around 35-45mm. The next grouping seems to be 75-85mm. There are a few from @ 167 BCE that are 55-60mm, but none in Roman context. To me this corresponds to the gap between a rifle and a cannon. 45mm and under = hand weapon, belly cocker, no winch, no stand. Both the Xanten find, the Vedinnius carving, and the engines above, appear to have oversprung (tall/narrow) frames and no evidence they had stands. This would theoretically allow use of shorter arms and result in a shorter draw length. Compactness very desirable in a hand weapon (SA-80, Famas, etc.), but not nearly as important in a crew served weapon. All the larger wooden-framer evidence, (Ampurias, Caminreal, Cremona), indicates that they were undersprung to some degree. They would likely have used longer arms and a longer draw. Perhaps this was because shortening the bundles reduced the ammount sinew, the most difficult material to obtain, that was needed.

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

Thanx for all the info lads !!

M.VIB.M.