Do You Know That Greeks Invented the Catapult?
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For as long as history as been recorded, there has been the need for weapons. Weapons can be used to keep people safe, defend your lands, and to wage war. Weapons have evolved over the centuries and as new technologies have come into the picture, weapons have improved. Early weapons such as the catapult, however, are some of the most memorable. Did you know that the Ancient Greeks developed the first weapons? Here’s more information:
Inventing the Stone Hurling Catapult
Specifically, the Greeks are credited with inventing what is known as the “stone hurling catapult.” As the name of the weapon indicates, it is designed to throw stones at the enemy. With an increased velocity, the catapult can inflict more damage than what could be done by simply having a person throw the stone. With this invention, the Greeks could do things such as break down a city wall and inflict more damage upon the enemy. They were also designed to bear stones that were particularly heavy. Some cold hold stones that were over 300 pounds, whereas a person could barely lift such a weight. With the increase in weight and velocity of the stones, the catapult would make an army more effective.
Dionysius the Elder Invented the Weapon
In 440 B.C., a man known as Dionysius the Elder invented the world’s first catapult. He was inspired by the design of the crossbow, which uses a special system to allow the user to draw the bow back and propel the arrow forward with a large amount of velocity. The catapult uses the same mechanical system that a crossbow does, just on a larger scale.
When Dionysius examined the functioning of the crossbow he was inspired by it. In fact, over time, two inventions cam into being. The catapult and a larger machine designed to shoot arrows forward one at a time, known as a ballista. These two weapons evolved from Dionysius’s original invention.
Legacy of the Catapult
Although the catapult was invented in ancient times, it was actually in use on a regular basis up until the Middle Ages of Europe. This was an important invention because it changed the way war was done at the time. Prior to this being invented, there wasn’t as effective a way to inflict damage on a larger scale without getting close to the item the soldiers were trying to damage. Rocks could be hurled towards a wall, for example, without the need to get close to the wall itself. This was something important to think of when it came to the catapult.
The way it was thought of is that it was regularly compared to the crossbow since the mechanisms were similar. The catapult was looked at as a larger version of the crossbow. In trying to make the arrow’s flight more effective. This way of thinking grew, and the catapult was created. This was definitely an important invention that without the Ancient Greeks may not have existed
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Categorized in: Ancient Greek History
This post was written by Greek Boston
