A Formidable War Machine: Construction and Operation of Archimedes' Iron Hand
Twenty-three centuries ago in the Sicilian city of Syracuse, the Greek mathematician Archimedes was called upon by his king to design war machines that could fend off enemies set to invade this Greek city-state.
The sinews of war: a brief history of ancient catapults
Until the discovery of gunpowder, the most powerful weapon available was the catapult. The Roman army had stone-throwers capable of hurling projectiles of 27 kilos at a distance of 150 metres, and Archimedes