Got Physics?: History Of Catapults

Catapults have been one of the earliest and most efficient weapons in siege warfare dating back to 390 BC. Most of us picture catapults being used in the Middle Ages, as an enemy is trying to take down a castle. But, before catapults advanced, the ancient civilizations of the Greeks, and Roman first came up with the idea and early models. The word Catapult is derived from the Greek words, “kata” meaning downward, and “pultos” meaning shield. The weapon was basically used to penetrate your enemy’s defensive line. In Ancient Greece and Rome, their version of a catapult started off as a handheld weapon, similar to the crossbow. This developed into a larger version that was a huge standing wooden structure, called a Ballista. This type of catapult is used to shoot large arrows, with great accuracy. However, these weapons were inconvenient to assemble on a battle field, as well as not extremely powerful. Eventually, the Romans built a more powerful catapult that we would typically picture as what a catapult looks like. This weapon was called the Mangonel, which could throw heavy stones longer distances, to break down forts. This weapon was introduced and used during the Middle Ages, as fortified castles were being built. The Mangonel has a long wooden arm were the “ammo” would be placed, then pulled back so the machines tension was tight, then it would be released and fire the objects at its target. The last main type of catapult is the most powerful, called the Trebuchet. This catapult was most commonly used during the middle ages but historians can trace it back to 2001 BC in China. Catapults were one of the first modern day methods of biological warfare in the Middle Ages, where the attackers would throw bodies with diseases over castle walls. I also find it interesting that we still used Catapults in the WWI to throw grenades from trenches into no man’s land. We also even still occasionally use aircraft catapults which help launch planes into the air if the run way is too short. Catapults are a very interesting and unique mechanism that operates on basic physics.