09-19-2006, 08:39 PM
No feathers ruffled, Quadratus! Nor on me, nor on my arrows. Just stating an observation, and as I implied with my comment on overdrawing the bow, I'm very aware of the relationship you mentioned.
In my earlier comment, I posed an argument for trying to find out more about the use of archers in the Roman army. I believe some information of the type of bow used may be derived from the way the archer was used. The weights of the warbow you mentioned are undisputed, but keeping a hail of arrows going at drawweights of 100 lbs are a though challenge. So that in my view poses the question "one arrow, one kill" (more drawweight, lesser arrows) or a hail of arrows achieving disarray and havoc (lesser drawweight, cheaper bow, more arrows)?
I have found a 50 to 60 lbs bow can be shot during a longer period of time by a more or less experienced archer. A 50 lbs bow still packs of lot of punch using the right spine and arrowhead, at 50 meters, even my nifty 35 # Browning recurve splits boards.
In my earlier comment, I posed an argument for trying to find out more about the use of archers in the Roman army. I believe some information of the type of bow used may be derived from the way the archer was used. The weights of the warbow you mentioned are undisputed, but keeping a hail of arrows going at drawweights of 100 lbs are a though challenge. So that in my view poses the question "one arrow, one kill" (more drawweight, lesser arrows) or a hail of arrows achieving disarray and havoc (lesser drawweight, cheaper bow, more arrows)?
I have found a 50 to 60 lbs bow can be shot during a longer period of time by a more or less experienced archer. A 50 lbs bow still packs of lot of punch using the right spine and arrowhead, at 50 meters, even my nifty 35 # Browning recurve splits boards.
