Where can I read about this battle(between Rome and Macedonia)? Livy? Polybius?
Thanks again
Johnny

Hondero,  Vern is an interesting fellow. He is Scientific American's most published author. Not bad for a publication that is over 100 years old. I'll have to dig out my notes on his translations. He says his Greek is poor, but its a lot better than mine, which is nil. He knows a lot about trebuchets and atlatls.

Of course, as you have probably found out, the units of measurement, not the translation, is the tricky thing. One 'palm' can be any number of lengths depending on where and when the author speaks. Anywhere from about 6cm to 20cm. Standardized units of measurement didn't come for many centuries later. Most of my research has been in finding the proper units to apply.

This weapon is a very logical and fascinating variation of the conventional sling!  I'm learning so much here on the slingers' forum!  I have seen flip catapults, and fancier hand catapults designed or modifyable for shooting arrows, and this makes sense to me, somehow.

I even used to improvise spearguns when I was young using snorkel tubes, surgical tubes or heavy rubber bands and other similar odds and ends.  They worked like hand catapults, and the "spears" were often modified arrows fitted with broadheads.  They flew pretty well in the air as well as underwater!

So, it makes sense to me that back then some slinger decided to try to launch some sort of arrow/dart/javelin thing using a similar technique as he did to launch glandes or stones.  I've heard some rumours and claims that arrows can be slung, and even seen or read convincing evidence and arguments that cord-guided or "atlatyl-style" cord-launched javelins were used in ancient times (much of it from reading here!).  But this is the first I've seen of an actual successful attempt to reconstruct this type of weapon!  That's exciting!  I'd really like to try one of these dart launchers out someday!

LOL!  Well, Hondero posted the best known instructions on the first post of this thread. He and I have built some based on this and I know Thom Richardson is interested in anyone's attempts. Two archeaological brothers made one in the late 1800's, but theirs was considered illconsidered.

Hondero's bolt is identical to one of my interpretations, but I don't know if the lengths are the same, I suspect so. We came up with different slings.

Both Hondero and I have come back to this subject after setting it aside for about the same length of time, two years. I guess it is time for me to finish this project and document it. Let's hope for an early spring. Dan

Hondero
How did you make the dart?
Are you from the Balearics?
Thanks!

This thread was forgotten and without finishing, and also I remember I´ve promised some pictures about, so I return to it after having been practicing something with the cestro these holidays. I have reproduced faithfully the design of the dart according to the clasic authors, but I´ve found it a little heavy and it does not work very well, requiring much ability to send it and that it flies right. I have made some modern darts, lighter and more stable in flight, and then everything works perfectly. I have used the type of sling that I described previously in the thread and that I suppose is the most likely interpretation of clasic texts. The images clarifies the subject by themselves.




The dart of the image, even been modern, approach the classic design as far as the relative dimensions, the positioning of the fins in half of the shaft, etc. Nevertheless, the dart is shorter, about a foot, and the weight is about 200 grs.The iron is a tube to insert the shaft, and one end is squashed and sharpened to make the point. Also it has been partially filled up with melted lead to give the suitable weight that would have a massive iron point. The fins are the conventional ones of the arrows. The image of the dart is from some months ago and is the only image I keep up, although the last darts I´ve made and experiment with are lighter, of about 100 grs, with the iron point shortened to the half and the fins placed more towards the end to give more stability to the flight. With this last design the flight is very straight and the range is surprising, as much as to lose all darts I´ve made  .

So you have made a cestros! Congratulations! 
I think the range I get with the modern design is similar to throwing a stone, maybe a little less.
Have you found any difficulties throwing the dart?

Now that I see those pictures, I feel I must make one.  I have plenty of skill in making quarrels and arrows, and other things besides.  I think the sling will be the easy part, but I think that instead of a hardened piece of leather I shall employ a small round, possibly faintly grooved piece of wood.  I think it should be easy to braid and fitting the wood should not be difficult.  Thanks Hondero.  That looks great, and I can imagine how it flies.