Legionary Archer....

[Marcus Mummius]

You can read John Coulston's article:

Coulston, J.C. “Roman Archery Equipment.” The Production and Distribution of Roman Military Equipment.” Ed. M.C. Bishop. Oxford: B.A.R. International Series, 1985. pp. 202-366

[Alanus]

What sculptural depictions do we have of Roman (auxiliary) archers?

As you can see from the answering posts above, there is a nearly total lack of visual info on Roman achers. Full-time archers employed with the legions were within auxilliary units, and they used (and probably wore) items brought with them, including additional sidearms. This had to create a diversity in archer clothing and equipment, whether Hamian, Iazyge, or Alanic.

Romans were not culturally raised with an archer's background. The rote was foreign to them. Yes, Vegetius mentioned that every soldier had to acquire archery training. BUT-- and this is a HUGE BUT-- there is vast difference in knowing how to use a bow, as opposed to being totally efficient and accurate with it. The auxilliarie were the real archers, men who grew up from early childhood with a bow in their hands. To be a proficiant archer, one has to practice constantly and for years. Constantly! And this was not a legionary's game.

[Crispvs]

Aside from the unnamed Hamian archer whose stele is in the Museum of Antiquities in Newcastle upon Tyne, and which is pictured in Peronis' article, there are three actual archers who we have images of (unless someone has found another recently and I have somehow missed it). Their stelae show them wearing much the same kit as other soldiers. Here they are:

Hyperanor
http://www.romanarmy.com/cms/component/o...Itemid,94/

Tiberius Iulius Abdes Pantera
http://www.romanarmy.com/cms/component/o...Itemid,94/

Monimus
http://www.romanarmy.com/cms/component/o...Itemid,94/

OT I know, but if Monimus really was fifty when he died then he could not have joined the army any time before he turned thirty three, which seems very old. Of course, there does seem to be an awfully big gap between the 'ANN' and the 'L' and I do find myself wondering whether or not there might originally have been an 'X' before the 'L'.

Crispvs

[Alanus]

Hello Crispus,

Thanks for the three steles of early archers, two "1st century" and one "early lst century." One of them appears to be "shouded."

My statement above, concerning a likely difference in clothing and arms, was referring to later archers, particularly from the steppes. Two of these archers, I think, had Roman names; one obviously did. But these were likely adopted nomens. I do believe that Romans, i.e. Italians, did not grow up with a bow in their hands, and that the bulk of archers came from archery backgrounds-- Syria, Palmyra, etc, and finally the steppes.

I've been an archer since 1958, off and on; and when I'm off, I'm really off target!:lol: In the SCA, I go by the name of Rustam, the Poorly Archer.:roll:

[Magnus]

I wonder if Legionary foragers would use bows to hunt then, when the opportunity arose.

[Peroni]

Thanks for the three steles of early archers, two "1st century" and one "early lst century." One of them appears to be "shouded."

Not shrouded - what you can see is the hood of his paenula folded back on his shoulders. Don't mistake the apex of the recess for an additional hood.

@ Magnus...
Forager's would most defininately have hunted with bows (deer, boar, wildfowl etc)- which makes you wonder what a 500-strong unit of Syrian archers was doing on Hadrian's Wall. I suspect they were utilised as hunters (venatores) supplying meat and game to the forts along the Wall! At Birdoswald there is an incription IIRC an altar dedicated by the 'venatores'

[Magnus]

No kidding. Pretty cool...

[Alanus]

[quote]
Not shrouded - what you can see is the hood of his paenula folded back on his shoulders. Don't mistake the apex of the recess for an additional hood.

@ Magnus...
Forager's would most defininately have hunted with bows (deer, boar, wildfowl etc)- which makes you wonder what a 500-strong unit of Syrian archers was doing on Hadrian's Wall. I suspect they were utilised as hunters (venatores) supplying meat and game to the forts along the Wall! At Birdoswald there is an incription IIRC an altar dedicated by the 'venatores'

Yes! It's a paenula hood. Good analysis. I suppose actually, just about anyone, not just the Syrians, could have been sent out as venatores, even barehanded to scrounge up mussels. Shellfish have been recorded in scraps of correspondance in Roman Britain.mile:

I would think Legionary foragers used more than just the bow and were also piscators. Fishing was fairly sophisticated in Roman culture. The side-mounted fishing reel that shows up much later in Britain was probably introduced by the Romans. Here is a photo of some 1st century BC to 3rd century AD Roman fish hooks in my collection:
[attachment=541]romanhooks002.JPG[/attachment]

These hooks show specialization. The one on the left was designed for trolling from a boat with a dead sewn bait. The middle ones are live-bait hooks, and the right one is delicate, maybe a fly-hook. They are greatly enlarged from their original size. Foraging probably also utilized clam-forks, because again, clams were among the Roman army's fare. It was probably a case of whatever was plentiful, from deer taken with an arrow to a bream taken with hook-and-line.:wink:

[Robert]

I know we are moving a bit off topic (archers to fishermen) but if at all possible, could I recieve some pictures of the Roman fishhooks with scale and the material used. I would like to make a few,as would Marco (MDF) from Italy. He is a keen fisherman and a true artist in bronze articles.

Pls e-mail to r.p.wimmersAThotmail.com if willing to oblige :grin: .

[Alanus]

Greetings, Robert

I'll do that. I have these Roman hooks in a glassed frame and put them back after potographing them. The smallest one compares to a size 4 Pennell. They are all bronze in various states of "cleaned." I bought them back when these hooks were less than $100 each. I also have 2 iron Roman hooks, large! One is a tuna hook shaped much like an O'Shaunessy, and the other is a shark hook since it was originally attached to wire.

At one time I was going to write a follow-up book to compliment my "Classic & Antique Fly Fishing Tackle," but the project was put on hold. Yes, off subject, but I think Roman foragers had these article in their kit. One of the most beautiful women I ever met-- assistant curator Maria del Rosa-- took me into a locked room at National in Naples and showed me early hooks that were even smaller, probably for scarus fishing. I examined the hooks but not much else!:lol:

[Robert]

That would be great! We do not have size 4 Pennell's here, I believe, so a small scale bar or ruler is a great help to get them right, as I print the picture and then transfer it by drawing onto mm paper to get an actual size. And yes, the iron hooks sound very tempting to try to forge!

Would be most gratefull, as will Marco, I an sure!

[MDF]

Hy,
thanks, this is good information for me ... like Robert said ;-)
It 'an amazing coincidence, but last Saturday I tried to make some roman fish hooks!
I hope not to be too Offo-topic (if we can create a new post) but I am building this because I want to create a portable fishing kit.
I have seen big hooks but I also love to replicate a set of fishing ground and not by boat, so I need to get necessarily small hooks, with such a measure can capture small fish. They are quite annoying to make because their are small but I have sharpened very good!
If you have new photos on roman fishing I'm happy to see them!
These are my first fishing hook.

[attachment=624]IMG_0002640x480.jpg[/attachment]


[attachment=625]IMG_0004640x480.jpg[/attachment]


[attachment=626]IMG_0007640x480.jpg[/attachment]

[Alanus]

Hello Robert and Marco,

I will photograph tomorrow and start a new thread on "Foraging: Roman fish hooks." This is too off-topic for "archers," and the RAT cops will arrest us.:wink:

Nice hooks, Marco! They prick the skin easy enough.hock:

[Alanus]

For archers-- look here.
For fish hooks-- look in the "Roman History and Archaeology" department.