Re: Interesting snippet on hill-fort design -Sling and bow ranges

From: danhalberd <dan_at_...>
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2006 10:59:30 -0000

For the discussion on range of javelins, slings and bows Xenephon is an interesting source. He discusses the matter in 'The March of the 10000' and was an eye-witness to their relative effectiveness. Here are a few edited extracts from the period when the 10000 were trying to march out of the Persian Empire-

'Mithridates again put in an appearance with about 200 cavalry and
about 400 archers and slingers. These were lightly armed and very quick on their feet........his men, both cavalry and foot, suddenly shot their arrows, while the others slung stones and caused some casualties. The Greek rearguard suffered badly, but were unable to retaliate, since their Cretan archers could not shoot so far as the Persians and also, being light troops, had taken refuge in the centre of the square; as for the javelin-throwers, their range was not great enough to reach the Persian slingers.

Xenephon then came to the conclusion that they should drive the enemy back, and this was done by the hoplites and peltasts......in the pursuit however, they failed to catch a single one of the enemy.....The native (Persian) cavalry, however, by shooting backwards from on horseback, managed to inflict wounds even when they were in flight; and when the Greeks had pursued them for a certain distance, they had to fall back again....fighting all the way.'

Later in camp Xenephon discussed the problem with Chrisophus:

'At present the enemy archers can shoot further than our Cretans
(archers) can shoot in reply, and their slingers can operate out of range of our javelin throwers....we must get hold of slingers .... as soon as we can. There are some Rhodians, I hear, in our army, and they say that most of them know how to use a sling. Their weapon too, has actually twice the range of the Persian sling. Persian slings do not carry far because they use stones as big as one's fist......the Rhodians know how to use leaden bullets as well.'

Later on in the march:

'The natives (Persians) did no further damage by their old methods
of long-range fighting since the Rhodians could sling further than the Persian slingers and further evan than most of their archers.'

So from Xenephon it appear rating rangest from shortest to longest we have:
Javelins
Persian slingers (slinging large rocks)
Cretan archers
Persian archers
Rhodian slingers (slinging lead bullets)

It is actually debatable whether the Cretan archers outranged the Persian slingers or not. Xenephon seems to imply it, however, in his discussion and the reason they failed to make any impression on the Persian slingers may be that they retreated inside the infantry square to avoid the fire of the Persian archers.

Sling range therefore seems to depend on the type of ammunition. Bow range depends on the draw weight of the bow (the Persians used heavier bows than the Cretans).