Ancient Balearic Slingers
The sling had been a popular weapon throughout ancient history but it was the Balearic slinger the presented the zenith of the use of the sling as an effective weapon of war. It is said that the slingers from the Balearic weapons had been proficient with the sling for many years using it both in warfare and hunting. With the onset of the Punic Wars there was much opportunity for these slingers to hire themselves out as mercenaries and thus much emphasis was put into training with the sling. It is said that a good slinger could propel his missile up to 400 metres, this being greater then the bow and arrow.
Although ammunition in the form of stones could be found readily many slingers favoured lead missiles due the their smaller size and the fact they were very difficult for the enemy to see with the naked eye. Some missiles would be cast from lead and feature fins that would aid flight and trajectory.
Balearic slingers were used extensively throughout the Punic Wars and would feature in the armies of Rome and Carthage.
