Catapult

Catapults are siege engines using an arm to hurl a projectile a great distance. Any machine that hurls an object can be considered a catapult, but the term is generally understood to mean medieval siege weapons.

Related Topics:
Siege engine - Projectile - Medieval

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The name is derived from the Greek κατα (against) and παλλειγ(to hurl (a missile)). Originally, "catapult" referred to a dart-thrower, while "ballista" referred to a stone-thrower, but over the years, the two terms have swapped meaning.

Related Topics:
Greek - Ballista

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Catapults were usually assembled at the site of a siege, and an army carried few or no pieces of it with them because wood was easily available on site.

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