Fumarium, R. (fumus, smoke). A chamber in the upper part of a Roman house, into which the smoke from the fires was conducted. The smoke-room was used for drying wood and ripening wine. The “Rauchkammer” or smoke attic is still a common institution in good houses in Germany.
Funale, R. (funis, a rope). A link or torch made of various materials.
Funalis or Funarius (sc. equus). The tracehorse, so called because its traces, instead of being of leather, were of rope (funis).
Funarius. (See Funalis.)
Funda, Sling, Gen. The sling has been employed by most of the peoples of antiquity as a weapon of warfare for hurling stones, chiefly flints or leaden bullets (glandes). The slings of the Egyptians were made of leather thongs or plaited cord. The funaitores, or slingers, of the Greek and Roman armies carried each a provision of stones in the folds (sinus) of his pallium, a shield on his left arm, and brandished his sling in the right hand. The most celebrated slingers were the inhabitants of the Balearic Islands, which took their ancient name from this circumstance.
Fig. 338. Fundibalus—Onager.
Fundibalus, Fundibalum, R. (βάλλω, to throw). A machine for hurling stones; a kind of balista (q.v.). (Fig. [338].)
Fig. 339. Street at Pompeii.