{"id":43098,"date":"2015-01-25T04:49:18","date_gmt":"2015-01-25T04:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zenpundit.com\/?p=43098"},"modified":"2015-01-25T07:17:49","modified_gmt":"2015-01-25T07:17:49","slug":"arrow-of-mass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zenpundit.com\/?p=43098","title":{"rendered":"Arrow of mass"},"content":{"rendered":"

[by master-archer, Lynn C. Rees<\/strong>]<\/p>\n

The Strategikon<\/em><\/a>, a Byzantine<\/del> Roman military manual<\/a> attributed<\/a> to the Emperor Maurice<\/del><\/a>\u00a0Flavius Mauricius Tiberius<\/a>, summarized Roman calvary\u00a0training<\/a> towards the end of the sixth century:<\/p>\n

He should be trained to shoot rapidly on foot, either in the Roman or the Persian manner. Speed is important in shaking the arrow loose and discharging it with force. This is essential and should also be practiced when mounted. In fact, even when the arrow is well aimed, firing slowly is useless. He should practice shooting rapidly on foot a certain distance from a spear, or some other target. He should also shoot rapidly mounted on his horse at a run, to the front, the rear, the right, the left. He should practice leaping onto the horse. On horseback at a run he should fire one or two arrows rapidly and put the strung bow in its case, if it is wide enough, or in a half-case designed for this purpose, and then he should grab the spear which he has been carrying on his back. With the strung bow in its case, he should hold the spear in his hand, then quickly replace it on his back, and grab the bow. It is a good idea for the soldiers to practice all this while mounted, on the march in their own country. For such exercises do not interfere with marching and do not wear out the horses.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dane Lars Andersen<\/a> may have gotten in touch with his inner Mauricius with his contemporary elaboration of ancient archery techniques (props Isegoria<\/a>):<\/p>\n