Technology

The ancient Romans invented and made many important innovations to military weaponry and machines, including armor and three projectile launchers. (Humphrey, 65) The Romans had three types of armor: chain mail, scales, and //lorica segmentata//, or segmented. (PBS) The chain mail and scales were probably worn by auxiliaries. (Hart-Davis, 1) The legionaries, on the other hand, wore segmented armor made of overlapping iron plates secured together by leather straps. This gave better protection than scales and was easier to make than chain mail. Under the armor, soldiers wore military tunics that covered the top half of their body, but left the legs uncovered for easier mobility. Roman worriers also wore groin guards, but they were more to show wealth and power than for actual protection. Another crucial piece of Roman armor was the helmet. These were made out of iron or bronze and provided adequate protection without blocking the eyes or ears. This gave the Romans an advantage over other armies with full face masks. Finally, the legionaries used //scutum//, which are curved rectangular shields made of plywood and canvas that could reach up to 22 pounds in weight. These had a metal knob in the center used to repel attacks. (PBS) The Romans were masters of military engineering. They improved on past ideas, such as the catapultai and ballistae, and made whole new weapons like the onager. All three had a twisted cord that released the energy used to propel the projectile. This style of contraption was called //tormenta// by the Romans. The catapultai was basically an enlarged crossbow. It shot huge bolts from a rut in the wood. Next, the ballistae launched 70 pound stones from a grooved, 50 degrees slant. The word ballista comes from the Greek word //ballein//, meaning “to throw.” Both of these war machines could launch their respective projectiles up to 350 meters. Finally, the onager, unlike the previous two, was invented by the Romans. The onager is named after the wild animal coming from the horse family known for its aggressive kick. Somewhat like the modern day idea of a catapult, the onager has an arm with a sling that is loaded and released. The arm would fly forward violently and then stop suddenly as it hit the cushion bar, thus giving it its name. This device could launch a stone up to 1000 meters away, making it vastly more powerful than the catapultai or the ballistae. (Humphrey, 65) __** 1. Humphrey, John. __Ancient Technology__. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. 2. Hart-Davis, Adam. "Discovering Roman Technology." __BBC__. 06 Jan 2001. BBC. 4 Dec 2008 . 3. "Warrior Profile: Romans." __PBS__. 2003. PBS. 4 Dec 2008 . 4. Gabriel, Richard. "Graphics and Photos." __A Short History of War__. Air War College. 4 Dec 2008 .
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