Combattre de loin chez les Romains

Thanks to ancient texts, we know about famous soldiers who fought for Rome in the end of the Republic and during the Empire: Cretan and Syrian bowmen, Balearic slingers, Moorish javelin throwers or Palmyrenian mounted bowmen. Their role, sometimes stereotypical in ancient historical writings, has led historians to believe that long-range fighting, waged with missile weapons as arrows, sling bullets, javelins or stones, was a military specialty of foreign people or some auxiliaries. As specialists of hand-to-hand fighting, Romans were supposed not to be interested in ranged weapons. Some historians even thought that Romans, as heirs of Classical period’s Greeks, despised throwing weapons and regarded soldiers using them as minor warriors. This opinion has to be rejected. 

Indeed, various and numerous sources show us that missile weapons were largely used in Roman warfare. These weapons, always useful and even essential in some military operations, played an increasing role between 1st century BC and 3rd century AD. During this period, Roman armies have been affected by important tactical evolutions, but the domination of the hand-to-hand fighting, which formed the major part of the Roman military identity, has never been contested by ancient authors. In fact, Roman opinions about ranged weapons were complex and ambiguous. For example, Parthians, whose mounted bowmen fought with Roman armies in the East, were regarded as perfect opposite of Romans concerning art of war. However, Romans have also recognized the military value of soldiers using throwing weapons, who also contributed to Roman military successes. In other words, the story of long-range fighting in Roman warfare is a story of a progressive integration and recognition.