Bow
The bow (Latin arcus) launches arrows using energy stored when its limbs are bent by drawing the string. Ancient bows varied in shape, materials and construction; composite bows combined several materials, while self bows were made principally from wood. Their use depended on regional traditions, military roles and the archer’s training.
Stele of Gaius Julius Andromache. Dugopolje,Croatia. 40-80 AD
Fragment from Trajan's column. Early 2nd century AD
Fragment of a bas-relief with an archer from cohors I Hamiorum. Found in Housesteads,Hadrian's Wall,UK. First half of the 2nd century ADOther peoples in antiquity also used bows, and not only composite ones. It is assumed that, for example, the Celts and Germans used ordinary longbows for hunting, but they did not use them for warriors - this was considered a weapon of a coward, not a warrior. At the same time, for example, in Greece, bows were also used, and already for waging war as part of the regular army. The compound bow translated the tension energy into the kinetic energy of the arrow with the greatest efficiency, even without weights, giving the projectile, with an equal tension with a wooden bow, about 30% more energy. Having significantly superior strength and equal length with the yew bow, the compound bow was very reliable in operation. Its service life was estimated at decades, and it could be transported in a combat-ready state, which seemed to the soldiers to be a highly valuable quality. Of course, during long-term storage, the bowstring was removed, since this still reduces the time of effective operation of the bow. It was composite bows that were used by most peoples of Asia and Ancient Europe (starting with the Cretans). In Europe, since the 4th century, such bows were most successfully used in the conquests of steppe nomadic peoples - Huns, Avars, Bulgarians and Khazars.
Bone linings from Bar Hill Fort. Material from the deer horn of 142-180 AD.
Bone overlays on the bow from the Thresholds. 1,2-median; 3-5-terminal. Second half of the 1st centuryProduction
Even a simple wooden bow was by no means a simple bent stick with a rope stretched over it. The bow was cut from yew, ash or acacia in such a way that it consisted of two layers of wood with different mechanical properties. Sometimes trees were specially grown for this purpose, preparing from the very landing to become the basis of a bow. After it was cut down, the bow blank was kept in special conditions for several months. The yew bow did not last long-in a tense state, the tree quickly lost its elasticity and deformed, so that the string on the wooden bow was pulled only before the battle. A compound bow was called a composite bow if it was glued together from several types of wood or if the wooden base was reinforced with horn plates, that is, its base consisted of several parts. The main advantage of such a device was the simplicity of manufacturing - there was no need for such careful preparation of wood before the production of bows. The reinforced bow withstood more tension and served longer. It was also practiced to make a bow from several separate blanks of different lengths, like a modern plate spring. Strength and elasticity were achieved by compressing these individual parts. For compression, the feature of drying rawhide or steamed wood was used.
Related topics
Literature and sources
The composite bow - Mike Loades.pdf Armament of the nomads of Gorny Altai of the Xiongnu period Khudyakov Yu S pdf Arrows of Ancient and Medieval Cultures of Eurasia-Kishchenko In pdf
A golden vessel with images of Scythians. Kurgan Kul-Oba. Crimea,Kerch Peninsula. Inv. CO.No.-11. Displayed in the Golden Storeroom of the Hermitage. Second half of the 4th century BC
Tombstone monument. Monimus,a soldier from Cohors I Ituraeorum who served for 16 years and died in 50. 1st century AD
The Gallic archer. Saint-Germain-en-Laye,France. 1-2 century AD
Fragment from a Raised Propylon block. Early 1st century.
Parthian horse archer. State Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin,Germany. 1-3 century AD
A fragment of the tombstone of Daknas,a soldier of the Second Kirrestarum Cohort based in Burnum,Dalmatia. Croatia. Mid-1st century AD
Bas-relief of a male archer,Parthian. Found in: Asia,Middle East,Levant,Syria. Stored at: British Museum,London,England. 1-3 century ADInterested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions.
