Palintona

Palintona is loaded by two soldiers using a winch

The Palintona (from Greek παλίντονος, rebounding) was a Greek two-armed torsion gun that was later used by the Romans .

Description and use

Stone and fired clay balls that were used as projectiles

The functionality was the same as that of a ballista , but it did not throw arrows or bolts, but stones. The projectiles used were mostly boulders weighing around 27 kilograms, but hot coals or clay balls heated in a fire were also thrown. The acceleration is caused by twisting two ropes or fiber bundles ( Spanish winch ). The Palintona weighed several hundred kilograms and was difficult to maneuver, which is why it was only used for long-lasting sieges . Twelve soldiers were designated as the operating team for large examples of this type of war machine. The Palintona was a siege machine that, as already mentioned, was not only used against walls, but was also intended to set fire to the houses within a fortress . A winch was used to tension the Palintona .

history

The Palintona was discovered by the Greeks in the 4th century BC. Invented as one of the first torsion guns. It became famous (as is so often the case) through the introduction of this weapon in the Roman army . Especially during the Jewish War it was used very successfully by Vespasian's armed forces against the walls of Israeli cities. In late antiquity, the Palintona lost its importance as it was slow and difficult to maneuver.

literature

• Peter Connolly : The Roman Army. Neuer Tessloff-Verlag, Nuremberg 1989, ISBN 3-7886-0180-9 .

Web links

• Palintona at the University of Tübingen
• Palintona near Roma-Victrix

Individual evidence

1. ^ Palintona at Modellbau Quedlinburg