Ancient catapults were state-of-the-art weapons of unequalled power?but how powerful were the military engineers who created them?… The fearsome machines terrorized battlefields and sieges until the proliferation of gunpowder. Their power was impressive and terrifying. Roman catapults could hurl 60-pound (27-kilogram) boulders some 500 feet (150 meters). Archimedes’ machines were said to have been able to throw stones three times as heavy. —Brian Handwerk
—Catapult Makers: Rock Stars of Antiquity (National Geographic News)
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Thanks for the interesting suggstion, Steve. I think I can appreciate the odd fascination with historical technology. I worked as a research assistant with the Records of Early English Drama in Toronto… that group is closely associated with the Poculi Ludique Sociatas (“Fun and Games Society”), which sponsors historically accurate reproductions of medieval dramas. I volunteered with them a few weekends, working on the old wagons and equipment they had in storage. One of the most impressive devices I saw was the stage hoist created for a production of the Assumption of the Virgin — a manually-operated elevator platform, constructed with historical techniques and materials. Perhaps not quite as cool as hurling huge rocks, but still interesting!
Have you read Jim Paul’s book Catapult: Harry and I Build a Siege Weapon? It’s worth looking for.