Catapults

Originally used to increase the range and force behind a crossbow, the catapult was one of the most effect siege weapons of antiquity. There were varied forms of it all over the world, but ancient societies would agree that the ones who had the strongest catapults had a much higher chance of winning the battle of the day. There are three main types of catapults. The first is the most ancient and is called the ballista. This was invented by Diodorus Siculus, who wanted to increase the range of the crossbow. The ballista may be extremely accurate, with a build that is very similar to that of a bow, but it lacks the force of the later catapults. The next is the mangonel, coming from Latin “manganon” meaning engine of war. This is the kind of catapult that is normally seen in film and is made of a long wooden throwing arm that is pulled back to 90o and is fired by the tension of the rope. The mangonel fired its projectiles in an arc, which was very different from the straight shot of the ballista and the heights of the projectiles reached approximately 1,300 ft. The trebuchet is the final type of catapult and was the most powerful. The potential energy of the trebuchet was created and held in the counterbalance, which was released by the rope holding it in equilibrium. The trebuchet …show more content…
But the intrigue in the catapult’s throwing power still fascinates us to this day. I write and have always had a fascination with literature, whether it be fantasy or realistic fiction, set in times similar to the medieval times. So, I’ve always been interested in how catapults were able to lay siege so successfully, which is why in the novel I am writing, one of the empires uses catapults to continue their campaign over the continent they reside on. Torsion makes catapults throw not only farther, but harder, which is obvious because of the high potential energy the twisted ropes