Need help! I have to build a Ballista!

[Anabasis]

I need to know how I can build a bolt Ballista miniature size. I also need to know what I need exactly for materials. Any help will be tremendously appreciated. :!: Most of sites I have found on ballistas are down and I can't seem to find out the mechanics either.

Thank You

[Matthew Amt]

Ave!

Kurt Suleski out in Minnesota is "Da Man" for the ballista here in the US:

http://198.144.2.125/Siege/siege.htm

His is really big and scary, but his site should give you some good information. Just be careful--even a miniature can put someone's eye out!

Vale,

Matthew

[Comerus Gallus]

#%^^$

[D B Campbell]

I need to know how I can build a bolt Ballista miniature size.

That's the $64,000 question, Michael.

We pretty much know what the early Roman stone-projecting ballista (and its Greek forebear) looked like, and we know what the early Roman arrow-shooting catapult (and its Greek forebear) looked like.

But scholars are currently divided about the "bolt ballista", which is basically the cheiroballistra and its larger cousins. The main bone of contention is whether the bow arms should swing outwards (like all the other arrow-shooting catapults) or inwards.

For a flavour of the debate, you should have a look at our friend Aitor's web page (here) where he gives some excellent working drawings of the inswinging version (and also here for photos of his version of the device).

[Anabasis]

Thank You all, I really appreciate it.

Thanks Again

[claudia crisis]

Not wanting to throw cold water on here Michael, but be very careful with this one - these are potentially very dangerous toys, even the small ones, because of the tensions involved. Lots of Romans were acidentally taken out by their own "real" ones.

How dangerous depends on how large to some extent -
did make a small catapultus once for the grandson, then had to modify it drastically because it was lethal!

Hilary

[Anabasis]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, these things can easily kill. I will work with the utmost prudence.

[Crispvs]

I would like to concur with Hilary here. A few years ago I ended up with quite a prominant scratch on my armour when one of our manubalista's arms broke under tension. The broken arm moved sufficiently fast that I did not see it move, even though I had been looking at the arm at the time. One moment it was there and the next moment there was a loud bang and it was half the size and in a different position. It was only then that I noticed the impact and the scratch on my armour. Had I not been wearing armour at the time I am fairly sure that I would have been looking for a new kidney in a hurry!

Crispvs

[Dan Diffendale]

I would like to concur with Hilary here. A few years ago I ended up with quite a prominant scratch on my armour when one of our manubalista's arms broke under tension. The broken arm moved sufficiently fast that I did not see it move, even though I had been looking at the arm at the time. One moment it was there and the next moment there was a loud bang and it was half the size and in a different position. It was only then that I noticed the impact and the scratch on my armour. Had I not been wearing armour at the time I am fairly sure that I would have been looking for a new kidney in a hurry!

What sort of armour were you wearing? How thick? Padding?

[Crispvs]

Segmentata made from steel about 0.8mm thick. No padding to speak of at the time apart from lots of tunic material.

Crispvs