The ballista is a type of catapult similar to a giant crossbow that worked by using tension. Ballista comes from the Greek word "ballistes" which means "to throw". The ballista was invented by the Greeks, called "The Scorpion", but modified by the Romans around 400BC. The ballista was designed to shoot heavy bolts, darts, and spears along a flat trajectory and had enough force to skewer several enemies at once. A ballista could release up to 1000 missiles a day. The ballista had great accuracy, but not as much range as the trebuchet. There is another version of the ballista, called the Springald, which resembled a crossbow in function with a vertical springboard. The springboard worked as a lever.

The Ballista