Catapulta Explained

A catapult was a Roman machine for throwing arrows and javelins,^{[1] [2]} 12feet or 15feet long, at the enemy. The name comes from the Greek katapeltes (καταπέλτης), because it could pierce or 'go through' (kata) shields (peltas). The design was probably inherited, along with the ballista, from Greek armies. Some versions of the catapulta were portable. Smaller two-armed versions of the catapulta were known as scorpiones.^{[3] [4]} The catapulta was made of wood and were placed on stands.^[5]

See also

• Roman siege engines

References

Sources

• Greek and Roman artillery

External links

• Legion XXIV Catapulta, Features a detailed working reconstruction of a three-man catapulta.

Notes and References

1. Book: Pitassi, Michael . The Navies of Rome . 2010 . Boydell & Brewer . 978-1-84383-600-1 . 18 . en.
2. Book: Catapult Design, Construction and Competition with the Projectile Throwing Engines of the Ancients . 2006 . RLT Industries . 978-0-9776497-0-9 . 55 . en.
3. Book: Adkins . Lesley . Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome . Adkins . Roy A. . Adkins . Both Professional Archaeologists Roy A. . 2014-05-14 . Infobase Publishing . 978-0-8160-7482-2 . 92 . en.
4. Book: Southern, Pat . The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History . 2007-10-01 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-804401-7 . 214 . en.
5. Book: Corbishley, Mike . Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ancient Rome . 2004 . Getty Publications . 978-0-89236-705-4 . 20 . en.