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Basic diagram of an onager, a type of catapult. A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. [1] A catapult uses the sudden release of stored potential energy to propel its payload.
The onager (UK: / ˈ ɒ n ə dʒ ə /, / ˈ ɒ n ə ɡ ə /; US: / ˈ ɑː n ə dʒ ə r /) [1] was a Roman torsion-powered siege engine. It is commonly depicted as a catapult with a bowl, bucket, or sling at the end of its throwing arm.
A catapulta was a Roman machine for throwing arrows and javelins, [1] [2] 12 feet (3.7 m) or 15 feet (4.6 m) long, at the enemy. The name comes from the Greek katapeltes (καταπέλτης), because it could pierce or 'go through' (kata) shields (peltas).
This catapult was installed on a ship. [9] Polybius (VIII,7,9) writes that catapults used to defend Syracuse during the siege by Marcellus were throwing stones of 10 talents (262 kilograms (578 lb))). The largest weight of projectiles mentioned in Vitruvius is 460 lb (210 kg).
Roman 'catapult-nest' on Trajan's Column Ballista. The early Roman ballistae were made of wood, and held together with iron plates around the frames and iron nails in the stand. The main stand had a slider on the top, into which were loaded the bolts or stone 'shot'.
The harpax or harpago (Koinē Greek: ἅρπαγα lit. "grabber, seizer, robber"; GEN ἅρπαγος harpagos) [1] was a Roman catapult-shot grapnel created by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa for use against Sextus Pompey during the naval battles of the Sicilian revolt. [2] The harpax allowed an enemy vessel to be harpooned and then winched ...
The Onager was a Roman torsion powered siege engine. It is commonly depicted as a catapult with a bowl, bucket, or sling at the end of its throwing arm. Trebuchet: 4th Century BC China: Similar to the catapult, but uses a swinging arm to launch projectiles. It is usually considered to be stronger than the catapult. [4] Oxybeles: 375 BC Greece
The Roman onager, a catapult powered by rope torsion, was sometimes referred to as a stone-thrower.. Archimedes reportedly designed a steam-powered gun to shoot spherical projectiles using the same principle of gas pressure as a gunpowder cannon.