The Balearic Slingers

Christer Samuelsen, Session 1, Ecomuseum 2011

Who Were They? Mentioned in several written sources ( Livy, Vegetius,

Florus ) as being famous slingshot warriors from the Balearic Islands ( Today Majorca and Minorca).

Specialised in the sling as their weapon of choice, some sources claim they were trained in its use from early childhood. Sources mentions three sizes of slings.

Upon contact with the Phoenicians, they quickly became valued mercenaries, and was later implemented as Auxiliaries in the roman army.

Balearic Islands has its name from “balearides”, which means ”stone slinger”.

The Sling Ancient projectile weapon possibly dating back to the

Upper Palaeolithic, still used today.

Ammunition from clay, stone and lead. Lead being considered the most effective.

Easy to construct, classic materials being flax, hemp or wool, on the Balearic Island a type of rush ( reed ) was used.

Praised for its range and ability to penetrate armor.

Auxiliāriī Auxiliaries (from Latin: auxilia =

"help“ ).

Slings were used to give Roman reserve troops a cheap long-range weapon.

The Romans were the first civilization to effectively use slingers in large formations in their armies.

From around 218 BC onwards, the Baleares, ”inhabitants of the Balearic Islands”, were the only slingshot warriors used in the roman army.Above ; Late roman slinger

The Battles Balearic slingers are mentioned repeatedly to have

participated in battles from 406 BC to 55 BC.

Balearic slingers fought on both the side of the Romans and the Carthaginians in the Punic wars.

206 BC, When Magón, brother of Hannibal, attempted to land upon the greater of the Balearic islands (Majorca), the inhabitants hurled their sling-stones in such numbers upon his ships that he was not even able to enter the harbour.

Ceasar made use of Balearic slingers in both his Gallic and African campaigns, they were also used aboard ships during his invasion of Britain in 55 BC.

The Sources

Written sources.

Depictions on monuments ( Like Trajans column ), and also on some coins.

Archaeological material (slingbullets).

Above; Slingers shown on the relief of Trajans column.

The Sources

Sources- Feugere, Michel. 1993. – Les Armes Des Romains. Editions

Errance, Paris.- Slinging.org- The Sling in Literature – Gilleland, Michael .- A Brief History of The Sling - Harrison , Chris.- The Use of The Sling Among The Ancients -

Hawkins ,Walter.- http://www.mallorcaincognita.com/historyslinger

s_english.html- "Digital | Attic - Warfare: De Re Militari

Book I: The Selection and Training of New Levies ( Digital source ) .

- Las Baleares, http://www.mallorcaweb.net/foners/historia/BALEARS.pdf