Deadly Ancient Slingshot Matching Firearm Power of a .44 Magnum
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In the lush landscapes of Scotland, south of Edinburgh, lies a hill known as Burnswark. Recent archaeological discoveries have shed light on a brutal and significant event that took place there around A.D.140, during the reign of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius.
The attack on Burnswark was the opening salvo in a war against the restive tribes living north of Hadrian's Wall. Fraser Hunter, an archaeologist, believes that this incident raises new questions about the problems the Romans may have created for themselves when they built Hadrian's Wall and made new enemies among the Scottish tribes.
The local warriors, armed with swords and simple weapons, faced a formidable enemy in the Roman army, which was equipped with superior weaponry. The Roman soldiers, despite their technological advantage, struggled against a tough, resourceful enemy in Scotland.
One of the key weapons used by the Romans was the sling, capable of hitting a target smaller than a human being from 130 yards away. The slingers' ammunition had the stopping power of a modern .44 magnum handgun. A trained slinger could be lethal, and the Roman army exacted a heavy toll at Burnswark.
John Reid, a researcher at the Trimontium Trust, and Andrew Nicholson, an archaeologist at the Dumfries and Galloway Council, began studying Burnswark five years ago. Their investigations revealed more than 400 Roman sling bullets and two spherical sandstone missiles known as ballista balls at Burnswark.
However, the story doesn't end with the brutal assault. The Roman army used a previously unknown form of psychological warfare, making small holes in nearly 10% of their ammunition to create a "banshee-like wail" when fired. This tactic, though unusual, may have played a role in the assault's deadly effectiveness.
The assault at Burnswark was deadly, and it is believed that the local warriors were not allowed to survive. Less than two decades after the attack, the Romans retreated south to Hadrian's Wall.
Fraser Hunter finds the new research on Burnswark "really enterprising and exciting." He draws an interesting parallel with modern conflicts, such as the situation in Afghanistan, where empires can stumble and create problems they don't know they are causing when dealing with warlord societies.
This research not only provides insights into the past but also offers lessons for understanding the complexities of modern conflicts. The story of Burnswark serves as a reminder of the consequences of imperial expansion and the resilience of local communities in the face of adversity.
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