Funda
A funda is a form of slingshot that was used in the Roman army and with the help of which the so-called sling leads were fired.
It is a small but effective weapon consisting of a leather loop and two straps. One of these straps was tied to a finger with a loop and the other was loosely held in place. A bullet made of lead was inserted into the loop , which had the shape of a date and was called glans (= acorn). Sometimes clay or stone was used as a material instead of lead. The bullet weighed 20 to 100 grams. Alternatively, you could of course use everything in a suitable size and with sufficient weight. By means of a quick movement, in which you let go of one strap at the right moment, you hurled the bullet in the direction of the enemy .
The slingers were called fundatores or funditores. The Roman war leaders primarily trusted the slingers from Rhodes and the Balearic Islands . They could smash helmets and shields with it. The slingshot fighters often carved short words or symbols into the lead pieces that were supposed to revile the enemy or influence accuracy. In connection with the naming of generals and troops involved on the projectiles, they can be important epigraphic sources for researching ancient battles.
literature
- Thomas Völling: Funditores in the Roman Army . In: Saalburg yearbook. Volume 45, 1990, pp. 24-58.