A catapult is a ballistic device that launches a projectile over a distance using stored mechanical energy from tension, torsion or a spring, rather than gunpowder or another propellant, and it served as an important siege weapon in ancient and medieval warfare. Catapults appear to have been developed independently by several ancient civilizations: the Book of Chronicles credits King Uzziah of Judah with equipping Jerusalem's walls with stone-throwing machines in the 7th century BC, traction-powered catapults called mangonels appeared in China and in India by the 5th century BC, and Greek engineers are documented building torsion catapults by the early 4th century BC, with recorded use at the siege of Motya in 397 BC; the technology later passed to Rome and dominated European siege warfare through the Middle Ages.
Facts
YearSourced to the subject's own account SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountThe first mechanical siege weapon to launch projectiles without relying on human muscle power alone, transforming ancient warfare and city-wall defense across the Mediterranean and Near East. 1 FAQs
What made torsion catapults better than the first bow-type machines?
Torsion catapults were more powerful than the more flexible crossbow-type machines and came to dominate Greek and Roman artillery.
The first clear evidence for the switch to torsion catapults comes from Greek records, and these machines were more powerful than the more flexible crossbows. Torsion catapults came to dominate Greek and Roman artillery design afterward.
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1. Catapult (Wikipedia)
Wikipediaopening History paragraph, Wikipedia article Catapult
Greek catapults were invented in the early 4th century BC, being attested by Diodorus Siculus as part of the equipment of a Greek army in 399 BC, and subsequently used at the siege of Motya in 397 BC.
opening definition section, second sentence, Wikipedia article Catapult
A catapult uses the sudden release of stored potential energy to propel its payload.
In Field: Mechanical Engineering, Introduction
A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile at a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants, particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines.
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