ACROBATICA

ACROBATICA, or ACROBATICTUM, from acros, high, and batos or baiva, I go; an ancient engine whereby people were raised aloft, that they might see more conveniently about them. The acrobatica among the Greeks amounted to the same with what they call scansorium among the Latins. Authors are divided as to the use of this engine. Turnebus and Barbarus take it to have been of the military kind, raised by besiegers, high enough to overlook the walls and discover the state of things on the other side. Baldus rather supposes it a kind of moveable scaffold, or cradle, contrived for

Acrocerania raising painters, plasterers, and other workmen, to the tops of houses, trees, &c. Some suspect that it might have been used for both purposes; which is the opinion of Vitruvius and Aquinas.