Trebuchet vs. Ballista

Trebuchetnoun

A medieval siege engine consisting of a large pivoting arm heavily weighted on one end.

Trebuchetnoun

A torture device for dunking suspected witches by means of a chair attached to the end of a long pole.

Trebuchetnoun

A cucking stool; a tumbrel.

Trebuchetnoun

A military engine used in the Middle Ages for throwing stones, etc. It acted by means of a great weight fastened to the short arm of a lever, which, being let fall, raised the end of the long arm with great velocity, hurling stones with much force.

Trebuchetnoun

A kind of balance for weighing.

Trebuchetnoun

medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles

Trebuchet

A trebuchet (French: trébuchet) is a type of catapult that uses a long arm to throw a projectile. It was a common powerful siege engine until the advent of gunpowder.

Ballistanoun

An ancient military engine, in the form of a crossbow, used for hurling large missiles.

Ballistanoun

An ancient military engine, in the form of a crossbow, used for hurling large missiles.

Ballistanoun

medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles

Ballista

The ballista (Latin, from Greek βαλλίστρα ballistra and that from βάλλω ballō, ), plural ballistae, sometimes called bolt thrower, was an ancient missile weapon that launched either bolts or stones at a distant target. Developed from earlier Greek weapons, it relied upon different mechanics, using two levers with torsion springs instead of a tension prod (the bow part of a modern crossbow).