Sling

The sling is a simple projectile weapon consisting of a small pouch attached to two cords, used since prehistory to hurl stones or shaped lead bullets at considerable velocity and range by swinging the pouch and releasing one cord at the moment of throw. Ancient armies including the Assyrians, Greeks and Romans fielded dedicated slinger units, and slingers from the Balearic Islands were especially prized as mercenaries in the Mediterranean world for their accuracy, reportedly trained from childhood by having to knock food from a post before being allowed to eat. A skilled slinger could outrange a contemporary bow and cause serious injury even through basic armor, making the sling a cheap and effective weapon fielded by cultures with few metal resources for more expensive arms.