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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.
Reproductions of ancient Greek artillery, including catapults such as the polybolos (to the left in the foreground) and a large, early crossbow known as the gastraphetes (mounted on the wall in the background) Many attempts were made in modern times to reproduce the ancient artillery pieces, following their ancient descriptions, and to test them.
Similar weapons mounted on elephants were used by the Khmer Empire. [3] Onager: 353 BC Rome: 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 ...
Onager with a bowl bucket Sketch of an onager with a sling, a later improvement that increased the length of the throwing arm, from Antique technology by Diels.. 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.
This is an accepted version of this page This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 6 January 2025. Siege engine using long arm to throw projectiles For other uses, see Trebuchet (disambiguation). Replica counterweight trebuchets at Château de Castelnaud Counterweight trebuchet used in a siege from the Jami' al-tawarikh, c. 1306-18 A trebuchet [nb 1] is a type of catapult that uses a ...
Projectile weapons were used by the ancient Egyptians to weaken the enemy before an infantry assault. Slings, throw sticks, spears, and javelins were used, but the bow and arrow was the primary projectile weapon for most of Egypt's history. A catapult dating to the 19th century BC. was found on the walls of the fortress of Buhen. [38]
Ballistae were heavy missile weapons, hurling large rocks great distances to damage rampart walls. They resembled large crossbows, rather than catapults. They were powered by two horizontal like arms, which were inserted into two vertical and tightly wound "skein" springs contained in a rectangular frame structure making up the head or ...
The bolt-firing scorpio had mainly two functions in a legion. In precision shooting, it was a weapon of marksmanship capable of cutting down any foe within a distance of 100 m (330 ft). In parabolic shooting, the range is greater, with distances up to 400 m (1,300 ft), and the firing rate is higher (3 to 4 shots per minute).