When accuracy didn't matter much ( for example because they just needed to shoot at a large mass of enemy soldiers ), how far could they fire their ammunition at the most?
How far could ancient slingers shoot their ammunition?
When accuracy didn't matter much ( for example because they just needed to shoot at a large mass of enemy soldiers ), how far could they fire their ammunition at the most?
hoi polloi
Re: How far could ancient slingers shoot their ammunition?
IN PATROCINIVM SVB Dromikaites
'One day when I fly with my hands - up down the sky, like a bird'
But if the cause be not good, the king himself hath a heavy reckoning to make, when all those legs and arms and heads, chopped off in battle, shall join together at the latter day and cry all 'We died at such a place; some swearing, some crying for surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their children rawly left.
Hyperides of Athens: We know, replied he, that Antipater is good, but we (the Demos of Athens) have no need of a master at present, even a good one.
Re: How far could ancient slingers shoot their ammunition?
The link requires payment to see. The range I have seen varies, with ranges of 150 m to 500 m.
https://www.chrisharrison.net/index.php/Research/Sling
hoi polloi
Re: How far could ancient slingers shoot their ammunition?
Odd you are right it does seem to be blocked when you use my link directly but not if you choose the paper after a google scholar search you can read the pdf. Latter I will summarize the data, sorry just weird.
IN PATROCINIVM SVB Dromikaites
'One day when I fly with my hands - up down the sky, like a bird'
But if the cause be not good, the king himself hath a heavy reckoning to make, when all those legs and arms and heads, chopped off in battle, shall join together at the latter day and cry all 'We died at such a place; some swearing, some crying for surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their children rawly left.
Hyperides of Athens: We know, replied he, that Antipater is good, but we (the Demos of Athens) have no need of a master at present, even a good one.
Re: How far could ancient slingers shoot their ammunition?
Thanks. I was able to find and download the study by searching for it in Google Scholar as you said.Originally Posted by conon394
In the study, the maximum range the modern Andean slingers managed was 130 m, significantly less than what some ancient sources said. The use of lead projectlies in ancient times rather than the stones used in the study would have increased the range somewhat, but not enough I think to account for the entire difference. I wonder if the ancient accounts of ranges of 300 m or more are exaggerations, or purpose a mistranslation of units.
Of course, a the study used only a small sample size. Out of a population of hundreds of slingers, perhaps some could manage 200m, even 300 m. The study shows there was a significant difference in range among individuals.
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