Ave!
Sling Bullet, Roman Republic, 2nd-1st Century B.C.
Lead; 48mm/75.5gm
Cast without symbols or inscriptions; roughly bi-conical.
Ref/ Petrie XLIV 15-23
Seller's Note/ Roman Republic army began recruiting cohorts of professional slingers from the Balearic Islands shortly after the fall of Carthage and the employment of Balearic slingers as auxiliary troops continued in the Imperial Roman army and well into the Byzantine era. The value of light infantry skilled in the use of lead or stone missile throwing by slings was recognized as late as the 9th Century AD and were reported to have an accurate range of up to 600 feet. Lead sling bullets were especially effective when one smacked an enemy in the skull going over 100+ miles per hour. Ouch!
Sling bullets are always desirable to collectors of Roman militaria.