Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Falarica

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

FALA'RICA. A peculiar kind of spear intended to be discharged as a missile from the hand, and employed in warfare as well as the chase. (Virg. Aen. ix. 705. Liv. xxxiv. 14. Grat. Cyneg. 342.) It is described as a missile of the largest dimensions (Non. s. v. p. 555.); with an immense iron head, and strong wooden shaft, weighted near the top by a circular mass of lead (Isidor. Orig. xviii. 7. 8.), exactly as represented by the annexed figure (Falarica/1.1), from an ancient monument published by Alstorp (de Hastis Veterum, p. 178.). Another specimen of very similar character is exhibited on a sepulchral marble discovered at Aquileia, published by Bertoli (Antichità di Aquileja, p. 153.).

2. A missile invented by the people of Saguntum, similar in many respects to the preceding, but of a still more formidable description. It was chiefly employed in sieges, and discharged with prodigious violence, by the assistance of machinery (Lucan. vi. 198.), from the lofty wooden towers called falae, which also suggested a motive for its name. (Festus, s. v.) It is described by Liv. (xxi. 8.) and Vegetius (Mil. iv. 18.), who give it a character very similar to the preceding specimen, with the exception that the iron just under the head was enveloped in tow steeped in pitch or other inflammable materials, which was ignited before the weapon was discharged.

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  Falarica/1.1