Catapult is a device used to throw an object over a distance. A catapult can be as small as a rubber band slingshot used to skim rocks across a pond or as large as the 90-m (300-ft) long steam units used to launch airplanes from aircraft carriers.
The general definition is that a catapult is a machine that stores energy then quickly releases
this energy to fire a projectile. To be a “real” catapult the machine generally has to be too
large for a person to carry. If we just used the storage and release of energy to define a
catapult then a longbow would also fit this definition. So the size of the machine is important.
HISTORY
Catapults were used in ancient and medieval warfare until the introduction of the gunpowder cannon in the 14th century. A catapult could hurl large stones, spears, or other projectiles at an enemy, but was difficult to aim. A catapult was sometimes mounted on a wheeled cart, and as an army changed positions, the catapult could be moved accordingly. Some catapults were mounted permanently within fortresses and used for defense against attackers. Many different types of catapults were invented and used. Three of the most
common were the ballista, the mangonel, and the trebuchet.
Catapults have been integral to siege warfare since antiquity. Though ancient Catapults were one of the most effective weapons in siege warfare. Various types of Catapults have been
used by the Greeks, Romans, and Chinese. The first catapults were early attempts to increase the range and power of a crossbow.
HOW DID CATAPULTS DEVELOP?
Catapults are an offshoot of the Crossbow. Over time crossbows got larger and larger. They went from being a hand-held weapon to something called the Belly-Bows which were so large they had to be braced against a knight's belly. From there they got even larger and became something called stand crossbows where they were mounted on stands. Eventually they got large enough to be defined as something in their own right and no longer crossbows. This
size change also brought about changes in how they operated.
3 MAIN TYPES OF CATAPULTS
1. Ballista
The Ballista is basically a giant crossbow. The word Ballista comes from the Greek word "Ballistes" meaning throw. Believed to have been invented by the Greeks and later modified
by the Romans. The Ballista was created to amply to range and power of the crossbow and
was the earliest catapult. Two wood arms (looks similar to a bow laid on its side, but with a middle section cut out) are attached to a piece of rope. The rope was usually made of human hair or animal sinew. The rope was attached to a winch and pulled back, bending the arm
back. When released the Ballista would shoot large arrow, or darts toward the enemy with deadly accuracy. Despite its accuracy it lacked the power of the Mongonel and the Trebuchet.
The general definition is that a catapult is a machine that stores energy then quickly releases
this energy to fire a projectile. To be a “real” catapult the machine generally has to be too
large for a person to carry. If we just used the storage and release of energy to define a
catapult then a longbow would also fit this definition. So the size of the machine is important.
HISTORY
Catapults were used in ancient and medieval warfare until the introduction of the gunpowder cannon in the 14th century. A catapult could hurl large stones, spears, or other projectiles at an enemy, but was difficult to aim. A catapult was sometimes mounted on a wheeled cart, and as an army changed positions, the catapult could be moved accordingly. Some catapults were mounted permanently within fortresses and used for defense against attackers. Many different types of catapults were invented and used. Three of the most
common were the ballista, the mangonel, and the trebuchet.
Catapults have been integral to siege warfare since antiquity. Though ancient Catapults were one of the most effective weapons in siege warfare. Various types of Catapults have been
used by the Greeks, Romans, and Chinese. The first catapults were early attempts to increase the range and power of a crossbow.
HOW DID CATAPULTS DEVELOP?
Catapults are an offshoot of the Crossbow. Over time crossbows got larger and larger. They went from being a hand-held weapon to something called the Belly-Bows which were so large they had to be braced against a knight's belly. From there they got even larger and became something called stand crossbows where they were mounted on stands. Eventually they got large enough to be defined as something in their own right and no longer crossbows. This
size change also brought about changes in how they operated.
3 MAIN TYPES OF CATAPULTS
1. Ballista
The Ballista is basically a giant crossbow. The word Ballista comes from the Greek word "Ballistes" meaning throw. Believed to have been invented by the Greeks and later modified
by the Romans. The Ballista was created to amply to range and power of the crossbow and
was the earliest catapult. Two wood arms (looks similar to a bow laid on its side, but with a middle section cut out) are attached to a piece of rope. The rope was usually made of human hair or animal sinew. The rope was attached to a winch and pulled back, bending the arm
back. When released the Ballista would shoot large arrow, or darts toward the enemy with deadly accuracy. Despite its accuracy it lacked the power of the Mongonel and the Trebuchet.
Springald
The Springald was a smaller version of the Ballista used in tighter confines such as castles or towers. It was utilized mostly as an antipersonnel weapon.
The Springald was a smaller version of the Ballista used in tighter confines such as castles or towers. It was utilized mostly as an antipersonnel weapon.
2. Mangonel
The Mangonel is what many people think of when they think of a catapult. From the Latin word "manganon" meaning engine of war. The Mangonel was invented by the Romans in 400 BC. The Mangonel consists of a long wood arm with a bucket (early models used a sling) with a rope attached to the end. The arm is then pulled back (from natural 90o angle) then energy was stored in the tension of the rope and the arm. Then the bucket would be loaded. When released the Mangonel's arm would return to its equilibrium position, when it came in contact with the beam (or block) the arm would stop but the missiles stored in the bucket would continue to launch toward the enemy. The Mangonel fired projectiles in an overhead arc, the angle of the path of the projectile could be determined by a block placed on the beam that stopped the Mangonel's arm by using a block that stopped the arm earlier than 90o angle would result in a path angle (above the horizontal) equal to the the angle between the arm and the 90o angle. The Mangonel was capable of firing 1,300 ft. The Mangonel was easy to construct and wheels were added to the design to increase mobility. The Onager is a type of Mangonel, recieving it's name from Latin word "onagros" meaning wild ass, as the motion and power of the Onager mimicked the kick of the wild ass.
3. Trebuchet
The Trebuchet was designed for maximum force. The stones it hurled were sent to demolish city/castle walls. Believed to have been created by the Chinese in 300 BC the Trebuchet was the most powerful of the catapults. The Trebuchet arrived in Europe around 500 AD. The Trebuchet consisted of a long arm (could be up to 60 ft long) balanced on a fulcrum that was far from center. The short arm was attached to a counterbalance; a heavy lead weight or a pivoting ballist box filled with earth, sand, or stones. A sling was attached to the end of the long arm. A rope was attached to the long arm and pulled down until the counterbalance was high in the air. The energy was stored in the potential energy of the counterbalance. The sling was then loaded with projectiles. The rope was released and the counterbalance plummets down. The potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and when the long arm is brought to an abrupt stop the projectile continue with the velocity produced by the kinetic energy. The Trebuchet was the most feared and hated siege weapon. The men who manned the Trebuchet were called "gynours" and were under constant assault by arrows and missiles. The Trebuchet was the primary target of many reconnaissance missions sent to burn them to the ground. The most powerful and most famous Trebuchet was the WarWolf designed and constructed by Master James of St. George the chief engineer of Edward I.