Roman Artillery

After examining the Greek origins of torsion-powered catapults, this book describes the machines used from the time of Caesar onwards, their dominance in the warfare of the western world for over a thousand years, and their importance in the history of technology. There is extensive written evidence of artillery in action. This is supplemented by relief carvings and archaeological discoveries of actual parts. This book includes updated reconstructions of the two designs of bolt-shooters used by the Roman army, and the first publication of the author's version of the stone-throwing ballista, based on a radical reassessment of the manuscript evidence. There are descriptions of the deployment of artillery in battle and sieges, and the range and impact of the missiles. About the author Alan Wilkins has excavated on Roman military and civilian sites in Britain and was a field assistant to Sir Ian Richmond. He has published and field-tested updated reconstructions of the Roman army's catapults based on his revised versions of the Greek and Latin artillery texts and the latest archaeological finds of catapult parts.