08-10-2009, 06:24 AM
Where to start? :?
Someone may be able to provide a source, but I don't recall a specific referrence to them building the weapons on site using just a few dedicated pieces and native wood. As you astutely pointed out, seasoned wood is superior to "green" wood. In some places such as Egypt or Judea (Masada) suitable wood might be pretty scarce. There are references to regional arsenals, but they seem to have been concerned with producing whole weapons. Likewise there is mention of carts, wagons, and troops assigned to moving, assembling, and shooting them, but none says anything about just parts of them.
As far as the troops marching "home" to Rome with their weapons on display, that seems unlikey unless the were Praetorians. For most Legions home was in some far-flung province. It is more likelythat the artistans carving the reliefs were working from sketches.
When it comes to the range and utility of torsion weapons compared to longbows it is comparing apples to apple seeds. The long bow wasn't in use yet. The longest range threat would probably have been staff-slingers, followed by slingers and archers. That said, I agree that few modern reconstructions live up to the Roman claims.
You're right in saying that linnear ratchets are seen along the cases of reproduction Roman weapons. But they are not in the historical record. Again this is another of those dangerous assumptions. There is only one artifact, specifically the Elginhaugh ratchet, that suggests the possibility, but given the size of the associated washers it probably didn't need a winch. The Cupid Gem shows only a round ratchet. Lots of folks use both for safety sake. That's the same reasoning my Uncle uses when he wears suspenders and a belt, :o lol: For the Punkin' Chunkers, the SCA crowd, and other ballistic hobbyists who are free to go where their imaginations and intuition lead them that is just fine. My point in starting this thread was to challenge those who seek historical fidelity to step back and entertain the notion that some of the basic precepts we hold may be based on nothing more than opinion.
Someone may be able to provide a source, but I don't recall a specific referrence to them building the weapons on site using just a few dedicated pieces and native wood. As you astutely pointed out, seasoned wood is superior to "green" wood. In some places such as Egypt or Judea (Masada) suitable wood might be pretty scarce. There are references to regional arsenals, but they seem to have been concerned with producing whole weapons. Likewise there is mention of carts, wagons, and troops assigned to moving, assembling, and shooting them, but none says anything about just parts of them.
As far as the troops marching "home" to Rome with their weapons on display, that seems unlikey unless the were Praetorians. For most Legions home was in some far-flung province. It is more likelythat the artistans carving the reliefs were working from sketches.
When it comes to the range and utility of torsion weapons compared to longbows it is comparing apples to apple seeds. The long bow wasn't in use yet. The longest range threat would probably have been staff-slingers, followed by slingers and archers. That said, I agree that few modern reconstructions live up to the Roman claims.
You're right in saying that linnear ratchets are seen along the cases of reproduction Roman weapons. But they are not in the historical record. Again this is another of those dangerous assumptions. There is only one artifact, specifically the Elginhaugh ratchet, that suggests the possibility, but given the size of the associated washers it probably didn't need a winch. The Cupid Gem shows only a round ratchet. Lots of folks use both for safety sake. That's the same reasoning my Uncle uses when he wears suspenders and a belt, :o lol: For the Punkin' Chunkers, the SCA crowd, and other ballistic hobbyists who are free to go where their imaginations and intuition lead them that is just fine. My point in starting this thread was to challenge those who seek historical fidelity to step back and entertain the notion that some of the basic precepts we hold may be based on nothing more than opinion.
P. Clodius Secundus (Randi Richert), Legio III Cyrenaica
"Caesar\'s Conquerors"
"Caesar\'s Conquerors"
