We find ourselves in the Piazza d'Armi or Cannoniera, which was the heart of the defensive system of the 16th century Walls: this is where the artillery was placed to fire at the enemy. The Bombardier was the military elite of the defence system.

Their numbers grew over the years: there were 30 of them in 1524 when the Bombardier Squad was established and 225 in 1609 and they received a monthly salary. But they gave no guarantee of efficiency: they were 'more Bombardiers in name than in fact'. A survey in 1664 showed them to be punctual 'not in service but in the collection of wages'.