Throughout the country's history, San Marino citizens have had to train constantly to fight for and defend their lives and land.
That is why they not only built churches but also strong walls and fortresses to defend the community.
Because they were unable to hire mercenary troops, every San Marino male between 14 and 60 years of age was forced to enrol in the town militia, undergo training and defend the country whenever he was called upon to do so.
Thus, at some point in history, a group of San Marino crossbowmen was formed, the first mention of which is in a document dated 1406, which lists 75 men called upon to carry crossbows to patrol and police the local market.
We know however that crossbowmen, whose job it was to defend the community, already existed before this date. In San Marino, the crossbow has been used for military purposes, to take part in competitions and to go hunting ever since the 17th century.
The group currently consists of about sixty marksmen from the nine Townships of the Republic. The Federation can also count on various San Marino master craftsmen, who over the years have refined their technical skills and acquired a particular style in building crossbows.
The bow of the crossbow is made of steel, the strings are made of vegetable fibre, the tiller is made of walnut or oak, the nut (the notching and release mechanism) is made of brass. The bolts are made of beechwood with steel tip, while the wings are made of goose or turkey feathers.
Photogallery Marksmen