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Roman Siege Engine For Sale on eBay, Protect Yourself from Visigoths
Posted by Gizmodo US Edition at 3:00 PM on October 1, 2008
Want to be the scariest ancient history buff in your neighbourhood? A couple of timber engineers are selling their recreation of a Roman ballista, which they made for a Discovery Channel documentary, on eBay. Though the 12-ton, 24 foot-tall war machine needs a little restoration work and doesn't currently work, the engineers insist that it can be made into a fire-able weapon if the right people got involved. All you need is roughly $44,000 to show your neighbourhood Hannibal who's boss. [eBay via Boingboing]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
fastm3driver
Posted 3:15 PM 1/10/08
It's no trebuchet, but it will probably get the job done. I'm just not sure what job that will be.
fastm3driver
holyroll
Posted 3:09 PM 1/10/08
Yes, but will it launch squirrels?
holyroll
whiteknight89
Posted 3:08 PM 1/10/08
44,000 + 10,000 shipping and handling to anywhere not in the UK... FTW?
whiteknight89
eblingmis
Posted 3:41 PM 1/10/08
125 yards is kinda underwhelming, no? For some you can't wheel into position..
eblingmis
the_amazing_doug
Posted 4:24 PM 1/10/08
my apartment community may not like that.
plus, that's like... more than i make in a year.
the_amazing_doug
CircusSeal
Posted 7:05 PM 1/10/08
If I were interested enough to spend $40k+ buying and restoring a previously built Roman ballista, I'd probably be even more interested in spending $40k+ on raw materials and building it from scratch myself.
If I were instead only interested in launching cannonballs at my neighbors, there are plenty of more modern (i.e. medieval) designs that will fling them much further with a lot less construction expense.
CircusSeal
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
Posted 10:18 PM 1/10/08
I always wonder why, when they build these large wood structures, they never hire a team of Amish people. I mean, they raised a barn on Monday, and soon they'll raise another. I really would love to see what happens when people experienced in building large things in wood attempt this.
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
Curves
Posted 10:15 PM 1/10/08
Working or not, still pretty intimdating if your neighbor has one aimed in your direction.
Curves
photophile
Posted 11:58 PM 1/10/08
@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->: As a bonus, your Siege Engine would have some very nice decorative dovetails.
photophile
MyPetFly
Posted 12:21 AM 2/10/08
How far will it toss a 44-year-old hockey mom?
MyPetFly
yougottabekidding
Posted 12:19 AM 2/10/08
The next advancement in technology for this...nuclear cannonballs!
yougottabekidding
yougottabekidding
Posted 12:13 AM 2/10/08
@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->: They would, but the Amish never answer their emails or return phone calls. Curse you technology!! >.<
yougottabekidding
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
Posted 12:34 AM 2/10/08
@MyPetFly: To Russia, but only if you can see it from your backyard.
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
Maksimir
Posted 12:34 AM 2/10/08
I think that would just fit in my back yard... I could mount it on big lazy susan to get 360 degrees of terror...
Bob, you've stolen my newspaper for the last time.
Maksimir
Purple Dave
Posted 1:59 AM 2/10/08
24,000 pounds...I'm not sure my cement patio is rated for that much weight. Anyways, I'd be much more impressed by the fact that they built this in ten days if they did so using completely authentic construction techniques. From chopping the trees down, to hauling them to the construction site, to the actual assembly. No chainsaws, cordless drills, or off-road forklifts.
Purple Dave
Purple Dave
Posted 1:56 AM 2/10/08
@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->:
They tried that, but it was the darnedest thing. When they got done building the medieval siege engine, it looked remarkably like a barn.
Purple Dave