Since ancient times, people have learned to make weapons to achieve their own goals. One of the types of ancient throwing weapons is the sling, which is known to every connoisseur of the history of David and Goliath. Currently, this weapon is undeservedly forgotten. The sling was used in various wars of the ancient world. In service with medieval armies, this type of throwing weapon was used until the appearance of muskets and revolvers.
The history of the appearance of the sling
All connoisseurs of the history of antiquity and the Middle Ages know the biblical story of David and Goliath, in which the hero wins with a sling. The sling is an ancient type of throwing weapon that was used in the wars of the Roman, Greek and Persian empires. This fairly simple weapon surpasses the bow in lethality and combat effectiveness. However, the use of this type of weapon was not widespread.
In the armies of Ancient Rome and Greece, the sling was used as a special weapon, and war slingers were specially trained in this type of activity. For primitive society, the sling had a different meaning. It was used as a hunting weapon for slaughtering animals. This is a fairly primitive weapon, but very effective in combat or hunting.
In the armies of the Ancient World, the sling was used during a battle or a siege of a fortress. Slingers have mastered throwing weapons to such an extent that they were constantly modified and unified. All this was done to increase the combat effectiveness of the shells. They were originally made from stones, and then specially cast from iron or bronze.
In the troops, there was a special position of a slinger - a person who was directly involved in the manufacture and use of weapons in battle. For a long time, the sling occupied the main place along with the bow and arrow. The sling was used until the 16th century due to its high efficiency and relatively low cost.
Weapon design
The construction of the sling is rather primitive. For making, two pieces of rope and a piece of thick fabric or leather are used. A finger loop is tied at the end of one rope, and a knot is tied on the second piece of rope to hold it. Both pieces of rope are sewn to both sides of a piece of fabric or leather. It is the central platform that is the holding device for the projectile.
The wars of antiquity made a sling from a variety of materials available. Most often, these were woven ropes, in the center of which there was a pocket for holding stones. In Rome or Persia, there was a sling in the form of a whip, one end of which was put on the hand, and the other was fixed on the whip. In the center, instead of a leather pad, a metal ring was installed. For this type of sling, specially made round metal shells were used.
Using a sling
The sling began to be used as early as the 5th millennium BC. The Sumerians used it as a tool for the shepherds. The stones helped to drive away wolves from the herd and even get wolf skins. The Greeks changed the purpose of the sling, seeing its effectiveness as a combat throwing weapon. In the armies of Ancient Greece and Egypt, warriors appeared - slingers who skillfully wielded throwing weapons.
The Romans improved their weapons. They began to use special kernels made from kiln-fired clay. So the long-range force of the weapon increased. The most famous slingers were the islands of Rhodes, who weaved a sling from women's hair.
The sling has survived many new types of throwing weapons. Currently, the sling has lost its main importance, but it continues to be used in sports competitions by the inhabitants of the Balearic Islands.