Holy Worlds Christian Forum
https://archive.holyworlds.org/

Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
https://archive.holyworlds.org/viewtopic.php?f=246&t=8746		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Aragorn [ June 4th, 2014, 12:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
What do you know about weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.? Do you have any favorite weapons from this time period? If you have a story set during 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D., what weapons do you have in your story?

Do you have any questions about weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D. that someone on the forum might be able to answer?
Author:  Calista Bethelle [ June 4th, 2014, 12:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
Well, I know they had spears, and swords and slings! :rofl:
Author:  Varon [ June 4th, 2014, 12:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
There's a lot of change in weapons between 50 B.C. and the 470s A.D.
Author:  Aragorn [ June 4th, 2014, 12:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
Yes, it seems like there would be. What kind of changes?
Author:  Varon [ June 4th, 2014, 12:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
I'm not actually sure. I'm not very well versed in that period.
Author:  Willow Wenial Mimetes [ June 4th, 2014, 12:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
And...*starts getting speculative again* There was a lot of technology lost with the fall of the Roman Empire so things could have gotten pretty advanced and we just don't know about it. Lots of possibilities for creative license there. :twisted:
Author:  Andrew Amnon Mimetes [ June 4th, 2014, 12:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
Definitely! :cool:
Author:  Aragorn [ June 4th, 2014, 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
Realistically, it's hard to say whether or not any significantly advanced weaponry was lost. But in fiction, it certainly leaves the door open for speculation. ;)
Author:  Aleena Mimetes [ June 4th, 2014, 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
I've always been interested in the changing metals over the years.
Author:  Aragorn [ June 4th, 2014, 12:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
Yes, that's a neat subject. :D
Author:  McKinnon [ June 4th, 2014, 12:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
The secret of Greek fire, for instance, has been lost to us.
Author:  Lady Katharina [ June 4th, 2014, 12:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
What is the Greek Fire, McKinnon? I've never heard of it.
Author:  McKinnon [ June 4th, 2014, 12:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
Oh it was really nasty stuff used by I believe the Byzantine Empire. It could burn on water, so they used it to destroy opposing navies.
Author:  Airianna Valenshia [ June 4th, 2014, 12:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
Greek Fire was said to have been invented by a Syrian Engineer, Callinicus, a refugee from Maalbek, in the seventh century (673 AD). The "liquid fire" was hurled on the ships of the empires enemies from siphons and was said to burst into flame on contact. It was reputed to be inextinguishable and burned on water, which caused a panic and dread among the enemies of the Byzantine Empire. Its introduction into warfare was comparable in its demoralizing influence to the introduction of nuclear weapons in our time.

The secret behind the Greek fire was handed down from one emperor to the next for centuries. Rumors about its composition include such chemicals as liquid petroleum, naphtha, burning pitch, sulphur, resin, quicklime and bitumen, along with some other "secret ingredient". The exact composition, however, remains unknown to scholars today, lost with the Empire when it crumbled.

Very fascinating stuff! :D
Author:  Aragorn [ June 4th, 2014, 12:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
Airianna Mimetes wrote:
Very fascinating stuff! :D

Indeed. :book:
Author:  Lady Katharina [ June 4th, 2014, 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
:shock: Yikes! That stuff sounds scary!

Thanks for the info, Airi and McKinnon!
Author:  Lady Katharina [ June 4th, 2014, 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
A calf as red as the sunset bursts in, toppling weapons right and left. Catch him!
Author:  Varon [ April 7th, 2015, 2:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
I've been doing research on slings and they are surprisingly powerful weapons. As far as I can tell, they were unmatched in power until the English longbow.
Author:  Faith_Blum [ April 7th, 2015, 5:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
Wow! I didn't know they were that powerful! That is amazing.
Author:  Varon [ April 8th, 2015, 7:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sling_(weapon)

Yep! Wikiepdia says their range was above 1300 feet, which in ancient times was better than a bow.
Author:  Riniel Jasmina [ April 8th, 2015, 7:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
That is a distance... David didn't even break a sweat. :D
Author:  Varon [ April 8th, 2015, 10:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Weapons from 50 B.C. to the 470s A.D.
No, he really didn't. I watched a youtube video testing a short sling and Roman sling bullet with a ballistic gel cube and it was brutal. The thing (in different tests) went several inches deep into the ballistic gel, punched through plywood, got wedged into multiple layers of plywood, and generally caused a significant amount of damage.

I'm surprised Goliath survived the first strike at all.

That and I no longer understand why songs and stories refer to David using "only a sling" to defeat Goliath. That was the equivalent of an assault rifle.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/