Siege warfare weapons

trebuchet, siege warfare, weapon

Trebuchet
One of the most useful siege weapons ever to be created, the catapult-style trebuchet allowed an army to bombard a city’s walls and interior buildings with huge stones, flaming balls of earth and even dead animals (the latter spreading disease and panic throughout the inhabitants). On the downside, trebuchets required a large team to operate effectively.

ballista

Ballista
A large missile-throwing weapon, the ballista was an excellent choice when you wanted to disrupt infantry columns. Developed first by the Ancient Greeks, the ballista worked via torsion springs, with huge wooden spikes propelled at great speed when released over large distances. The ballista would be scaled down over the centuries until eventually it could be handheld.

siege tower, weapon, warfare

Tower
A simple yet devastatingly effective siege weapon if used correctly, the tower was literally a mobile wooden turret on wheels that enabled troops to scale enemy walls in relative safety. After climbing up through the shielded internal cavity, soldiers would then be released with the dropping of a small drawbridge, enabling them to charge over enemy battlements.

You can learn about another amazing siege weapon – the battering ram – at All About History’s website – just click here to find out more!