Ballista

[RelPel]

Hello dudes.

I am looking for some advices from specialist of roman warfare. I am going to make a roman balista (scorpio or sth like this) and i have some questions:
1. What type of balista is the easiest to make?
2. I need some plans. I have found some on the internet, but I dont trust all that websites, because I dont know if that plans came out from real balistas made 2000 years ago. Maybe you know some real good plans.
3. I dont know how to strand rope from sinew to a real wide (and what wide it should be) and long. I think it has to be pretty long (maybe 10 metre or more).
4. What type of wood is the best for balista?
5. How to make an arrow for this balista (wood, feather, pike)?

Thanks a lot.
Marek Sulak.

[jvrjenivs]

First, I don't think there are real good plans on the website, as everyone has his own preferences and ideas and IMHO no complete piece is found. Most of the time only the metal parts have survived the time. The xanten example might be an exeption.



Fist, do you want a bolt or a stone shooter? I think you like a boltshooter, as you mention the bolts already. Then of course you can go for a small one or a big one. You can use an wooden frame or an (later) ironframed one. For a wooden one you can read vitruvius, a Roman architect who wrote a book about building techniques and also has a chapter about Siege warfare and discussed such a machine. It's all in there. (combine that with some original finds from the iron parts and you're done).

Also, I've recently seen a machine using horsehair rope. That works much better as senew or modern rope as you see most of the time used. I would suggest to also look at that possibility. Don't know how much you need, though.

[RelPel]

I want a bolt shooter. I think better for me would be wooden frame, I can make it myself and it will be made like it was realy. I have found that book, I will look at it. I dont want very big balista, as it is my first i want something small, maybe later if i will know how to make it i will try something bigger.

I dont want any modern rope. I have seen somewhere written that horsehair rope was used, but i dont know if i can take hold of horsehair, and i think i will need lot of that. I can have a lot of sinew for free.

Thanks for advices.

[jvrjenivs]

Then I would indeed go for the sinew!

Maybe something like the vitruvius bolt shooter is exactly what you want. Mostly out of wood and not too big. Good luck!

[Crispvs]

Our artillery is made of oak and the joints are all mortice and tenon joints. Mild steel has been used for the plating. Our bolts have wooden top flights and leather side flights, although I do not know what the evidence for this is.
http://www.romanarmy.net/artillery.htm

Sinew is certainly what the Ancients preferred for their springing material but as far as I know, although we know what sinews from what animal were preferred, no-one is quite sure how they manufactured it into cord for catapults. If you know how it was done, there are a lot of us who would be very keen to know more. Horsehair cord was certainly used, although it was felt to be greatly inferior to sinew. However, it seems to be better than modern rope. I am led to believe however that proper horsehair rope / cord is hard to get hold of these days.


If you haven't done so already, if you can I would recommend reading the following books.

First of all, are Eric Marsden's books, which are essential reading if you are serious about this sort of thing, although they are big and they are expensive, if cost is an issue for you.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Greek-Roman-Art ... 869&sr=8-6

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Greek-Roman-Art ... 869&sr=8-7

Next, for a very useful (and much cheaper) guide to Roman artillery, I would recommend Alan Wilkins' comprehensive little book published by Shire Archaeology.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Roman-Artillery ... 869&sr=8-5

Next I would suggest you have a good look at Duncan Campbell's Osprey book on artillery.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Greek-Roman-Art ... 869&sr=8-1

I would also strongly recommend Alan Wilkins and Len Morgan's article on reconstructing bolt shooting artillery in the 'Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies, Volume 11'.
http://www.jrmes.org.uk/vol11.htm

Crispvs

[Tita Iuventia Martia]

AVe Relpel,
Wellcome on RAT :-) -) -) )

best regards from Prague

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Welcome Marek,
We are always glad to have new artillery lovers here to join the discussions. The reading list Crispvs posted is a good place to start. After that, there are three main things you will need to decide;
First, What type of weapon do you want to build?...It sounds like you've settled on a wood-framed bolt-shooting Catapulta or Scorpion. If so, the term ballista doesn't really apply to what you want to make.
Second, What time period will it represent?...With what you are building it could be any where from the early Greek weapons through to about 100 AD. If you are looking for a Roman design, Vitruvius will probably be your best source.
Third, How big do you want to make it?.... This is very important, since almost all the dimensions and event the ammount of spring cord you will need is determined by the diameter of the spring washers. The most common size in this era seems to have been 76mm.
Once you have determined those things I'd suggest trying to design your own weapon rather than copying from someone else's plans. You will learn much more in the process. If you need help with any documents or sources PM me and I'll try to get them to you, as long as you promise not to put wheels on it. :lol:
Regards,
Randi/Clodius

[RelPel]

To Crispvs:
Thanks for advices. I dont know how was sinew manufactured into cord. I have started study this things with my Physics teacher and will be looking for types of twisting cords from all materials, that was used in history. Maybe me and my teacher will find the best type in theory and then i will make it. I can say that romans was eqally inteligent to make the best cords what they can.

Maybe i will have a little problem with that books because i am from Slovakia and i am not sure that i will find them somewhere in library. Thanks anyway for tips. I will look for them and maybe i will buy one.

To Tita Iuventia Martia:
We have discusion on our forums.

To P. Clodius Secundus:
1. I want try to build a catapulta (i wrotted balista because at that time i didnt know what is catapulta and what balista).
2. 69 - 96 AD
3. I want have it big like it really was.

[Crispvs]

Marek,

Alan Wilkins and Duncan Campbell's books are cheap enough that you can easily get hold of them without worrying too much about the cost from Amazon. You may still be able to get JRMES 11 as well from Oxbow. For Marsden's books, which contain all of the formulae for determining angles and sizes of parts, you could try contacting your closest city or academic library about arranging an inter-library loan, as this can be a good way of getting access to works which are held in other libraries.

I would also add an important caveat to Randi's suggestion of designing it yourself. Obviously there is a lot we do not yet know about these machines but we also have a lot of technical information which we must not ignore. So start with the Vitruvian formulae (which will be found in Marsden's works) and, once you have read all you can read on the matter (excluding websites, which may not be trustworthy), then start to use your own creativity to fill in the remaining gaps in the design which the ancient treatises (as they survive) fail to mention.

Crispvs

[D B Campbell]

Maybe i will have a little problem with that books because i am from Slovakia and i am not sure that i will find them somewhere in library.

Unfortunately, Greek and Roman Artillery doesn't seem to be available in Slovak.

[RelPel]

to Crispvs:
I should go to library and ask for that books.

to D B Campbell:
Greek and Roman Artillery 399 BC-AD 363 and ?ecká a ?ímská obléhací technika 399 p?. n. l. – 363 n. l. is the same.

[D B Campbell]

to D B Campbell: Greek and Roman Artillery 399 BC-AD 363 and ?ecká a ?ímská obléhací technika 399 p?. n. l. – 363 n. l. is the same.

No, no. The latter is a translation of my Greek and Roman Siege Machinery book!

[RelPel]

Aha, i see now. I was looking for some books in Slovak national library (library online search machine) and i just find anything. I should ask poeple who reenact romans here to help with books. And i havent found Vitruvius book, so is it a real book or i can find it pdf?

[D B Campbell]

And i havent found Vitruvius book, so is it a real book or i can find it pdf?

This one (here) is quite good. Pages 303-309 (= Vitruvius' Book Ten, Chapters 10-12) have information on Roman artillery, but not enough to help you build a catapult!

[RelPel]

Yes, i thinki have this one in pdf. I am going to read it and will what it will say to me. I have one work on those weapons but i dont know if it is good but it looks to be. Here is link: [url:143j6dkq]http://www.uloz.to/6694637/siege-weapons-pdf[/url]. When you want download click on yellow box where is writted - Stáhnout.
Maybe you will know if it is really good or if it is a rubbish.