CatapultsThe first catapults were invented by the Greeks around 400 BC. These catapults called gastraphetes resembled large crossbows and were used to shoot darts or arrows. By about 330 BC a larger version was developed. Called a ballista and using torsion to propel a dart or arrow, this machine could take out several armored men with one shot. This type of catapult was used by Alexander the Great on his campaigns.
The Romans used the Greek catapult technology and built upon it. They developed the mangonel, also called the onager. The word mangonel means engine of war. The firing of the mangonel resembled the kick of a wild donkey, called an onager, hence the nickname onager for the mangonel. The mangonel was also propelled by torsion. The Romans made it bigger, stronger, and easier to move from place to place.
Other types of catapults were soon developed. The traction trebuchet used a flexible throwing arm to fling stones at the enemy. It was held in place by two or three men while a few more bent the arm back, loaded it, and released it. It was lightweight and very mobile, but could only be used for small projectiles. Over time this traction trebuchet was made larger and placed on a cart with wheels. It was used to in the Middle Ages to defend a castle and to lay siege to one. It could be used to throw flaming balls over castle walls which would explode upon impact setting fire to the people, animals, and structures inside.
The counterweight trebuchet was the most destructive type of catapult. It could be used to launch bigger, heavier projectiles from a safe distance. Its main drawback was that it is not mobile. It was too large to transport, and wheels would hinder its performance. It had to be built on site. It was also too large for castle defense, both because of space limitations and the fact that it would throw a projectile too far -- over the heads of the besiegers. Historically it was used to hurl dead horses, corpses, and other things that would smell and spread disease over castle walls to force those holed up inside to surrender.
For several centuries after the invention of gunpowder, the catapult fell into disuse. It has, however, found some modern uses. A very simple catapult used as a children's toy -- the slingshot, was popular for a time. Catapults were also used in early aviation to try to launch some of the first airplanes. Samuel P. Langley used a spring-powered catapult to propel his Aerodrome with enough speed to get it into the air. The Wright brothers used a version of the counterweight trebuchet to generate enough speed to lift an aircraft and propel it until the engines could take over. In World War I and World War II small catapults were used to launch grenades at the enemy. Today catapults are used to launch aircraft from the decks of aircraft carriers and built by engineering students and enthusiasts to launch everything from pumpkins to people.