Roman Artillery
BallistaThe ballista was a large, torsion-powered crossbow capable of throwing a bolt up to 550 yards. The bolts fired from the ballista were usually three feet long. The ballista could be used on the battlefield by firing directly at enemy units, or it could be used in siege operations to take down units behind walls. Furthermore, it allowed a projectile to be launched in a more vertical fashion, creating a plunging or ballistic descent.
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OnagerThe onager was a type of catapult used by the Romans in both combat field engagements and for laying siege to a city. The onager was a large piece of equipment, with one torsion-powered arm capable of throwing stones up to 150 lbs in weight. These large stones were particularly effective in smashing through walls. The Romans were also known to fire smaller, flaming projectiles directly at enemy troops.
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