Late Roman Cavalry and Artillery - Comitatus Website Update

[Et tu brute]

Me ride? I do ride a little bit, but only treks into the countryside. The horse always knows where it is going!

I'm a foot-soldier. I don't get a ride to the battlefield. I walk. 8)

Hehe a real Roman soldier!
About the Plumbatae, were they thrown over or underarm? I remember from somewhere that some historians wern't sure. If they were thrown underarm I would imagine It would be very cumbersome while on horseback.

[Comerus Gallus]

Comerus ... you are a H E R O !!!!!!!!!

I am stunned.

That is fantastic!!! I didn't see that first link in your post.

Wow! Fame at last!

I will immediately send the link to everyone in Comitatus - and of course my mother

A laudes for you - is that allowed?

thank you Mithras & Aitor! .... Its my pleasure...

But I must thank you for post those videos yourself, it was very enjoyable! ...


Hey its Celt aka Jamie, who get the smacking in the face from your Boss? :lol: ... Also not offence I think he is the breavest?... he dares to stand the horseman, etc hock: ....
its like Titus Pullo (Rome) :mrgreen: ...

wow. I'm amazed....you were also very quick in your last sling shot clip!... keep practicing man!

[Viventius]

Thank you, Comerus, for the YouTube compilation! Laudes to you. Other people stood up to the horses besides Jamie - it's just not been caught on video. Salvianus (Steve) and Tranquillus (Gary) in particular let themselves be rode down; brave lads. Jamie as Titus Pullo ... hmmm ... it rather works as a concept :wink:

I'm the one in the rusty-brown tunic and a slightly rusty helmet, btw, as seen in the York Minster march and in the background with the horses

Thanks to Paul, for all his hard work on the Comitatus website.

[Comerus Gallus]

Thank you, Comerus, for the YouTube compilation! Laudes to you. Other people stood up to the horses besides Jamie - it's just not been caught on video. Salvianus (Steve) and Tranquillus (Gary) in particular let themselves be rode down; brave lads.

Hi Viventius!....

I think i know what part do you mean, it was hard to choose scenes among them... perhaps I can edit the video & put it!!! ...

Thnks for your lauds... I'm happy knowing you are happy!

[Graham Sumner]

Hello Mithras

I like the video. It brought back a lot of memories of living in York. I was particularly impressed to see the mounted archer shooting at the two ranks of soldiers adopting the so called 'anti cavalry' formation. My reading of the sources Plutarch, Arrian, Procopius etc.. is that this is how it was really used, as a defense against archers mounted or otherwise and if the cavalry charged the infantry formation would stand up holding their spears outwards and thrusting at the horses with lots of shouting. After all how can you kill the horse the biggest target by hiding behind a shield. I spoke to John about this the last time I saw him and I am sure both infantry formations could be used and explained quite easily.

Graham.

[Robert Vermaat]

I've fixed the link to the video clip of my slinging on the beach. It is this link: http://www.comitatus.net/beach2.AVIAren't I dashing?!

Very much so! Thanks for fixing the link. Could you also fix the one where decimus shoots the ballista please? I wanna see that!

Many many thanks for your wonderful comments about the website and some of the Comitatus features. THe purpose of my post wasn't to gather praise (honest!!) but to let Robert Vermaat that there are new things to look at. He gets very angry with me if I don't update him! :wink: :wink:

I'm so happy my wrath paid off.. cry: ). Keep it coming!

Robert, I too am sceptical of the 'mounted plumbatae', but then I have my own ideas about that weapon. I think John's idea is to try all these weapons - we are, after all - an experimental research group. To discover if plumbatae can be successfully thrown from horseback, well ... that's worth knowing!

I agree. But there's that develish line between 'did they do it' and 'could they have done it'!! But I'm sure it's fun finding out!

The site looks very full because, as everyone in Comitatus knows, I carry my camera with me absolutely everywhere and take pictures of anything that moves, as well as anything that stays still for more than 10 minutes.

So you must have tons and tons of pictures..... :wink:
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[Mithras]

Oh yes! I forgot about that one ... we ran out of website memory a while back and these videos would not fit! The ballista clip is now working.

Check it on the site, or click here: http://www.comitatus.net/ballista-shooting.avi

Very much so! Thanks for fixing the link. Could you also fix the one where decimus shoots the ballista please? I wanna see that!

[Robert Vermaat]

Thanks Paul!

[Vincula]

The ballista clip is now working.

"There is no software update from Real to support this content"
Anyone else gotten this error?

[Robert Vermaat]

Nope, it works for me..

[Mithras]

Artillery photos are now accompanied by words (courtesy of John Conyard):

http://www.comitatus.net/ballista.htm

This is where I duck to avoid missiles, both physical and metaphorical!

[John Conyard]

You coward! Get ready to duck the missiles this weekend :lol:

[D B Campbell]

Artillery photos are now accompanied by words (courtesy of John Conyard):

http://www.comitatus.net/ballista.htm

This is where I duck to avoid missiles, both physical and metaphorical!

I missed this post when it appeared last week.
Your machine, which (as you said) follows Alan Wilkins' interpretation of the Cheiroballistra document, is beautifully made -- congratulations.
Can I just make a verrrry minor correction to your text?

(1a) You wrote: "Many reconstructions use a simple winch system to pull back the trigger mechanism. The ratchet and pawl system used on our example is illustrated on the “Cupid Gem”, a seal stone showing the only side view of a Roman catapult."
In fact, it's the opposite! The Cupid Gem shows a ratchet-wheel, but Heron's gastraphetes uses a linear ratchet and pawl like the one you have on your machine.

(1b) You wrote: "Ammianus mentions the same system in relation to onagers."
Does he? Where?!
(I think it was Marsden's conjecture to use a ratchet wheel on his onager, rather than information from Ammianus.)

[Mithras]

Duncan, thanks for your comments, I have passed them on - and I'll update the article to take that into consideration.

[John Conyard]

Thank you for your comments, we'll take them on board. I have to admit that while I appreciate the work that goes into making Roman artillery, currently I spend much of my time on a horse. We'll update these articles on the web-site over the next few weeks.

With regard to the wooden framed saddle I think we are beginning to understand the need for the wooden saddle tree to be at least partially flexible, or even hinged, across the horses back. It would keep the stretch marks visible on leather saddle covers, allow for the easy removal of such covers as with the Carlisle finds, and allow the saddle to fit more than one horse with comfort. I can't pretend that is the way it was done. It just seems to make sense at present!