Roman Imperial Artillery
Outranging the Enemies of the Empire
By (author) Alan Wilkins
Paperback (Published)
(May 2024)
ISBN: 9781803277837
6.85 x 9.65 inches
Price: $49.99
In stock
Fully revised and expanded for a new Third Edition, this book traces the Greek origins of torsion catapults, describes the machines used from the time of Sulla and Caesar, the Roman improvements in their design and power, and their importance in the defence of the Roman Empire.
Greek and Roman torsion catapults were the most powerful missile projectors in the western world from their invention in the 4th century BC to the 11th century AD. Powered by the energy stored in tensioned and twisted rope springs, they outranged archers, slingers and all other missile launchers. After tracing their Greek origins, Roman Imperial Artillery describes the machines used from the time of Sulla and Caesar, the Roman improvements in their design and power, and their importance in the defence of the Roman Empire. Full-size reconstructions, made in collaboration with engineers Len Morgan and Tom Feeley, are based firmly on the author’s revised editions of the texts of the Greek and Roman engineers, the latest archaeological finds and the evidence of relief sculptures. This revised edition analyses remarkable new finds from the Rhine frontier in the Netherlands and elsewhere. The 1999 find of a catapult frame in Germany allows an accurate reconstruction of the standard early Imperial bolt-shooter, as used in the AD 43 invasion of Britain by Vespasian against hillforts at Maiden Castle and Hod Hill. The siege-camps at Burnswark Hill, Dumfriesshire are investigated. Range and accuracy are examined, and technical tests demonstrate the strike power of these formidable and long-lived weapons.
Acknowledgements
Preface
Glossary
Weights and measures
Introduction
Greek origins
The menace of the new weapon
The bolt-shooter: accuracy, range and effects
Reconstructing the Roman bolt-shooter
The new design: the metal frame arch strut cheiroballistra/manuballista
Deciphering the manuscripts: Vitruvius’ ballista
The stone missiles: range and effects
Masada AD 73-74
Qasr Ibrim: artillery in defence. Inscribed stone shot
Artillery in action in the field: Arrian’s battle plan
Burnswark Roman camps and native hillfort, Dumfriesshire
The last stone-throwers
The Hatra stone-thrower and the inward-swinging arms theory
Survival
The Roman achievement
Future search and research
The Roman origin of the mediaeval revolving-nut crossbow release
Review of 2021 TV film on Burnswark Hill, ‘Massacre on Hadrian’s Wall’
Sources and references to artillery
- By (author) Alan Wilkins
"Alan Wilkins is the internatonal authority on Roman artillery. The successful expansion of the Roman state was due to the prowess of its army. Its deployment of artillery was hugely important in battles and in sieges. In this, the third, expanded edition of his important account of Roman artillery Alan Wilkins brings together evidence from the whole of the empire to offer a detailed description of these weapons and their use. A particular feature is his analysis of their use at Burnswark Hill in south-west Scotland." Professor David J. Breeze "What comes through consistently is the author's personal commitment, his distinctive contribution to the development of the subject, his mastery of all the technical details, and his undimmed enthusiasm." Professor Lawrence Keppie (2019), Scottish Archaeology Journal
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‘Wilkins fulfills his goal in serving as a staple reference for the student, scholar, or reenactor, and its accessibility will hopefully enable broader engagement with the study of artillery and battlefields among all disciplines in the fields of Classics and Ancient History.’ – Evan Schultheis (2026): Rhea Classical Reviews
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Other Titles in this Series
Roman Pottery and Glass Manufactures: Production and Trade in the Adriatic Region and Beyond
Proceedings of the 4th International Archaeological Colloquium (Crikvenica, 8-9 November 2017)
Between Roman Culture and Local Tradition
Roman Provincial Coinage of Bithynia and Pontus during the Reign of Trajan (98-117 AD)
Roman Military Tribunes (First Century BC to Third Century AD): A Historical and Prosopographical Study. Volume I
Prosopographical Catalogue, Part 1: Roman Military Tribunes (tribuni militum in exercitu) and in the Garrison of the Roman Capital (tribuni militum in praetorio)
The Urbanisation of the North-Western Provinces of the Roman Empire
A Juridical and Functional Approach to Town Life in Roman Gaul, Germania Inferior and Britain
Investigations into the Dyeing Industry in Pompeii
Experimental Archaeology and Computer Simulation Techniques
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