"the besieged were protected and the enemy kept away from the gates by the falarica, which many arms at once were wont to poise... when hurled like a thunderbolt from the topmost walls of the citadel, it clove the furrowed air with a flickering flame, even as a fiery meteor speeding from heaven to earth dazzles men's eyes with its blood red tail... and when in flight it struck the side of a huge tower, it kindled a fire which burnt until all of the woodwork of the tower was utterly consumed" 
Falarica comes from either ancient Greek "phalòs" (φαλòς), because it came out of a "phala" (an ancient round tower posted on cities' walls and was used to fire the falaricas), or from "phalēròs" (φαληρòς) "shining" as it was enwrapped with blazing fire.Although in some texts the term falarica is used as a poetic description for a Roman weapon, its origin seems to be from the Western Mediterranean and in most respects it was similar to the pre-Marian pilum.