"Imperial Roman Slingers How long were they used?" Topic

Somehow I have never really associated Slingers with the Imperial Roman army in the terms most people think of it.

For arguments sake, say 50AD onward. Were they recruited as formal Auxiliary units like Archers for example?

I know some manufactures include slingers in their EIR ranges but how much basis in fact is there?

For the later Republic – before the period you ask about, I know – there are plenty of finds of sling-bullets inscribed with legionary identifiers, suggesting that legionaries knew the sling and could use it when required – for instance at sieges. Indeed Vegetius in the late Empire says that slings can be more dangerous than arrows against armoured opponents and recommends that all recruits should be trained to use the sling.

But there are no known regular Imperial auxiliary units entirely of slingers, until you get to one unit of Funditores recorded in the East in the Notitia Dignitatum. However slingers are illustrated on Trajan's Column, for instance; they are usually identified as tribal irregulars, but could perhaps be camp servants.

About a quarter of each auxilliary unit was trained and equipped with slings, in addition to their normal weapons.

Until they ran out of ammo?

My understanding is the same as Jarrovian. Some cohors had a percentage of slingers in the ranks.

The "quarter slingers" idea is often repeated, but I am not convinced that there is any reliable source for it.

Hadrian did praise the horsemen of Cohors VI Commagenorum for their skill in shooting stones from slings, though (text and translation of the Lambaesis inscription in PDF link ), so certainly some auxiliaries were trained in using them.

Helpful replies, thanks.

It does seem then for the most part, that actual established units of slingers have passed by this time and have moved into the territory of whole units of berserkers in wargames terms.

That's to say existence can still be found within other units but as an individual entity not very likely.

I do take mention of tribal units to heart though as I had thought that a possibility. Although even if my namesake found a use for them it doesn't mean everyone did.

On page 383 of this:

link

it talks about sling shot being lead. Intriguingly it says that was associated with army shot, but not who "shot" it.

It is also reasonable to assume in the ancient world that a lot of soldiers would have known how to use a sling from hunting and not unrealistic to see them used in sieges or similar. I would see it as unlikely they would be used in open battle though where they would need two hands to hold pilum and shield.

was it Polybius who also said something about sling use by legionaries in the Punic wars?

The Strategicon (late 6th century) says that light infantrymen who don't have or aren't adept with bows can use slings or "Slavic spears" instead. It also says that wagon drivers should be equipped with simple weapons like slings.

One implication would seem to be that Maurice expects a passable competence with the sling to be common among recruits.

Since posting I notice that Goldsworthy appears to go with the general conclusion here, that Slingers as an actual unit of the Roman Army, like the Auxiliary Cohorts, were not around by the end of the 1st Century.

He also thinks that the ones on Trajan's column were likely to be tribal troops, as previously mentioned.