A Brief History of Catapults

Introduction to Catapults

     Armies, ancient or modern, have always been consisted of three basic types of fighting units: the infantry, cavalry, and the artillery. Over time, the weapons of these fighting units have changed, but their role in battle remains the same.
    The infantry are soldiers who fight on foot who try to kill enemy soldiers before getting killed. The Cavalry are highly mobile fighting groups that support the infantry. The artillery men are specially-trained soldiers that use long-ranged weapons such as howitzers to attack the enemy from distance. These soldiers are not mobile. They go to a particular location, and fire the enemy. Artillery are especially effective against fixed targets such as bridges, fortresses, and castles.
    In the modern times, the artillery men use cannons,, howitzers, rockets, and missiles. In the ancient and the medieval  ages, they used machines called catapults to haul rocks, burning wood, dead cows, and etc. They could be simple or complex. They could be made from any material. They can use any kind of force to power them, including tension, torsion, and weight.
    Therefore, definition of catapults are broad. According to marriam-webster dictionary, a catapult is an ancient military device for hurling missiles. There are many different types of catapults, which will be covered in later posts.