In rome total war (video game) they are heavy metal darts that replaced the pila in the later roman legions. I wanted to know if these are made up or if they are real. Also, any other info plz.
thanx
The plumbata. Yep, it's a real weapon, although I think the construction may be open to debate. The reproductions I've seen look like big crossbow bolts with lead weights near the heads. Very interesting weapons, alongside the medieval European javelin/lancegay and Irish gae. I wonder if the plumbata may have been more the size of those later weapons.
I and many other children of the `70s played with something similar--Jarts or lawn darts. As a pastime for kids, it's right up there with playing in a storm drain. Banned from sale here in the late 1980s for obvious reasons.
How To Make A Late Roman Plumbata
http://www.fectio.org.uk/articles/makeplumbata.htm
Wikipedia Entry: Plumbata
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumbata
Lawn Darts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn_darts
I and many other children of the `70s played with something similar--Jarts or lawn darts. As a pastime for kids, it's right up there with playing in a storm drain. Banned from sale here in the late 1980s for obvious reasons.
How To Make A Late Roman Plumbata
http://www.fectio.org.uk/articles/makeplumbata.htm
Wikipedia Entry: Plumbata
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumbata
Lawn Darts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn_darts
wow, quick response, thanks sean. So how long are these approx. Also, weight, does it say in the how to site?
| Sean Flynt wrote: |
|
I and many other children of the `70s played with something similar--Jarts or lawn darts. As a pastime for kids, it's right up there with playing in a storm drain. Banned from sale here in the late 1980s for obvious reasons. |
I remember those days! How we stayed alive is still amazing!
Of course in our old age, we just play "Stupid Viking Games" and play catch with a sharp spear. Goes well after a few horns of Mead. :p
| Michael Curl wrote: |
| wow, quick response, thanks sean. So how long are these approx. Also, weight, does it say in the how to site? |
The "how to" site shows a short arrow length, but medieval darts were longer--maybe 5 feet or so, also fletched, also with barbed heads. The wiki gives some idea about the length from ancient docs.
Did you all see the range test article on the same website?
I wonder what kind of range you could get using a throwing stick, similar to an atatl (sp?).
Interesting way to give your infantry an integral missile capability (and fairly low cost in economics and training as well)
I wonder what kind of range you could get using a throwing stick, similar to an atatl (sp?).
Interesting way to give your infantry an integral missile capability (and fairly low cost in economics and training as well)
| Chris Arrington wrote: |
| Did you all see the range test article on the same website?
I wonder what kind of range you could get using a throwing stick, similar to an atatl (sp?). Interesting way to give your infantry an integral missile capability (and fairly low cost in economics and training as well) |
I read somewhere--maybe the Journal of the Royal Armouries--about a classical method of launching darts like these. It was a an elaborate sling system rather than an atlatl, but would have had a similar magnifying effect on the launch velocity. The article's author was trying to recreate the system based only on contemporary descriptions. Obviously, those projectiles would have been relatively short. I think this system was Greek rather than Roman.
| Sean Flynt wrote: |
| I read somewhere--maybe the Journal of the Royal Armouries--about a classical method of launching darts like these. It was a an elaborate sling system rather than an atlatl, but would have had a similar magnifying effect on the launch velocity. The article's author was trying to recreate the system based only on contemporary descriptions. Obviously, those projectiles would have been relatively short. I think this system was Greek rather than Roman. |
The sling reconstructed in that article wasn't for plumbata. The darts were totally different and specifically constructed for the sling. As far as I can tell plumbatae were only ever thrown by hand.
Were they thrown over or under hand?
Edit: Nevermind, I didn't see the article on their testing. Would these have the effect on shields that the pilum had?
Edit: Nevermind, I didn't see the article on their testing. Would these have the effect on shields that the pilum had?
It's my understanding that what these were used for was simply this. You took your plumbata by the fletched end, and hocked it as high as you could, with a motion likely similar to the "Potato smasher" German handgrenade. The fletches and weight caused it to decent (more or less) straight down into the dencely packed lines of the enemy.
Hitting a shield would not have been as big a thing as with the pilum, which could still get you on the other side, and would have been much heavier.
Hitting a shield would not have been as big a thing as with the pilum, which could still get you on the other side, and would have been much heavier.
I posted asking about these in a Roman thread a month or so back but didn't get any reply on them.
I wonder how badly these would hurt.
M.
I wonder how badly these would hurt.
M.
Apparently, you don't even need to make your own, these days....
http://www.kultofathena.com/product~item~AH42...umbata.htm
[ Linked Image ]
It's made by Deepeeka, and seems to be fairly accurate. Only $29.95 at Kult of Athena.
Now, who's up for a game of plumbatae? :p
http://www.kultofathena.com/product~item~AH42...umbata.htm
[ Linked Image ]
It's made by Deepeeka, and seems to be fairly accurate. Only $29.95 at Kult of Athena.
Now, who's up for a game of plumbatae? :p
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