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Roman Cav slinging from horseback (Read 1875 times)
Johnny
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Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Sep 8th, 2004 at 1:16pm
 
The Roman historian Arrian wrote in 136 AD about cavalry exercises:
"There follow various shooting exercises with light javelins, or with arrows shot not by their bows but by crossbows, or with stones hurled by hand or by sling against a target set up between the two already mentioned. And here, too, it is a fine thing when the soldiers crush the target with stones, which is not easy to do."
This quote is from the book,"Riding For Caesar, The Roman Emperors' Horse Guards" by Michael Speidel. I mainly got this book looking for information about Eastern Horse archers(I'm working on several horsebows) and came across this juicy bit of information. So now we know that Roman horsemen could and did sling from the saddle. I just hope I can find some info on the sling and horse in battle!!
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Hondero
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #1 - Sep 8th, 2004 at 4:45pm
 
Great, Johnny, you have finally found the evidence of slinging from the horse. I´m going to read Arrian text. Have the book you have read a precise quote of it?
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He brought a conquering sword..., a shield..., a spear... , a sling from which no erring shot was discharged.&&
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Johnny
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #2 - Sep 8th, 2004 at 5:31pm
 
Hondero
I do not have the book with me(I left it at work). I will check the source and see which text of Arrian this came from. I think it was something like,"cavalry exercises".
Johnny
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lobohunter
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where be a rock and a
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #3 - Sep 8th, 2004 at 6:33pm
 
great I have been wondering about this lately
And have been doing some strange slinging
from a car and from a bike
acurcacy sucked but it was pretty easy over all exspecialy from my moutain bike
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Albert Scott C bigbadwolf41 77940+hwy+99+south,+Spc+22  
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Gun
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #4 - Sep 8th, 2004 at 9:21pm
 
can you reload form horse back? I am also thinking that it would be hard for the rock to stay in the pouch with all that bouncing. Unless they stop to shoot and reload and shoot agin.
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Foner
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #5 - Sep 9th, 2004 at 2:38am
 
There is a previous topic called "Slinger on a horse". You may want to check it out.

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rob
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #6 - Sep 10th, 2004 at 9:21am
 
it's likely a quote from Arrian's "Order of battle against the Alans", a military handbook on the best tactics in a war against horse nomads (partly surviving) or his book on tactics which was a gift to Emperor Hadrian, of which only the calvary section survives.

couldn't find any of the texts online....

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Douglas
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #7 - Sep 10th, 2004 at 11:10am
 
A detour, of course, but I wonder how they reload a crossbow on horseback...  Roll Eyes
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Hobb
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #8 - Sep 10th, 2004 at 11:21am
 
I'll bet the reloading depends a lot on how well your horse is trained.  I know some horses are trained to respond to knee signals, leaving both hands free.  I think the crossbow question depends on the pull of the crossbow -- a lighter one could be cocked with both hands, using your stomach as a brace.
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lobohunter
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where be a rock and a
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #9 - Sep 10th, 2004 at 11:54am
 
the reloading of the cross bow sound like it might take practice is all stirup on crossbow. stirrup un saddle hmmm
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Albert Scott C bigbadwolf41 77940+hwy+99+south,+Spc+22  
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rob
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Re: Roman Cav slinging from horseback
Reply #10 - Sep 10th, 2004 at 1:37pm
 
most crossbows i've used could be braced on the hip to cock them. so as long as you can ride without reins for a few seconds.....
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&&"...with slings of twisted wool from which they showered their missiles to break the ranks of the Trojans."
 
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