Catapult

a Roman engine of war. Although we use the expressive phrase, "shot from a catapult," we have no exact description at hand. Makers of cuts have conjectured that a powerful bow was drawn by winding up a windlass and let go by slipping some sort of a catch. By this means bolts or arrows were hurled with great force. Large catapults requiring the strength of several men were used in besieging walled cities. This before the invention of cannon. They were capable of throwing a six-foot sixty-pound wooden bolt, to a distance of 400 yards. Small catapults were carried by single soldiers. On the whole the catapult seems to have been built on the principle of a bow and arrow.