Petraria Arcatinus

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Typical replica, at Chateau des Baux, France Replica catapult.jpg
Typical replica, at Château des Baux, France

Petraria Arcatinus is a possibly fictitious catapult which is claimed to have been in use during the Middle Ages. The name appears in some non-scholarly modern texts and websites. [1] [2] It is often roughly translated as "bow-powered stone-thrower". Modern depictions of this catapult are usually of an onager with its torsion spring power source replaced by a bow, but some doubt if this weapon ever existed.

Contents

History

The term "petraria" appears throughout the Medieval historical record, and is used refer to some types of catapults. It is unclear if "petraria arcatinus" appears anywhere in Medieval texts, or if its usage is more modern. According to some on-line sources, one of these catapults may have been used during the twelfth century at the Siege of Acre in the Third Crusade, [2] [3] where King Philip of France had named one of his catapults "Malvoisin" (French for "Bad Neighbor"). [4] However other sources say this machine was a trebuchet. [5] (Some confusion may spring from the fact that the name 'Malvoisin' was used more than once, having later been the name of a trebuchet in the First Barons' War [6] at the Siege of Dover, [7] and similarly at the Siege of Minerve in 1210, [5] and possibly for other machines of war.)

Similar Weapons

In Roman times, there were bow-powered stone-throwers in use, however these are assumed to be in the form of a large ballista. [8] The term "petraria" didn't come into use until much later. There is also a counterweight trebuchet which includes a mechanism to simultaneously span a large crossbow, allowing a single operator to use the same winch to prepare two weapons at a time. [9]

Reconstructions and Depictions

There are no known artifacts of this weapon in existence. There are also no verified drawings or descriptions from a reliable source in that time period. Most modern replicas are not functional. There have been attempts to build a working Petraria Arcatinus based on the onager/bow combination, including a small retail kit, [10] and a larger catapult built for a contest. [3] Both of these designs feature a large steel bow set at a sloping angle, and pulling the catapult arm approximately in the middle or lower. In contrast, many replicas that do not appear to function use a smaller bow, often wooden, and positioned horizontally, with a bowstring attached near the end of the arm. The retail kit manufacturer notes that initial attempts to mimic existing replicas did not yield an effective catapult. [10]

The Ancient Greek and Roman ballistae were often used for stone projectiles, and this suggests a simpler design in which a bow might push the stone directly, without the use of a throwing arm. The origins of the onager/bow combination design are unclear, but here are some examples found in the modern world:

Related Research Articles

Crossbow Type of pre-gunpowder ranged weapon

A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device similar to a bow; it consists of a bow-like assembly called a prod, mounted horizontally on a main frame called a tiller, which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long gun. Crossbows shoot arrow-like projectiles called "bolts" or "quarrels". The medieval European crossbow was called by many names, including "crossbow" itself; most of these names derived from the word ballista, an ancient Greek torsion siege engine similar in appearance.

Catapult Pre-gunpowder projectile-launching device

A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden release of stored potential energy to propel its payload. Most convert tension or torsion energy that was more slowly and manually built up within the device before release, via springs, bows, twisted rope, elastic, or any of numerous other materials and mechanisms. The counterweight trebuchet is a type of catapult that uses gravity.

Sling (weapon) ranged weapon

A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone, clay, or lead "sling-bullet". It is also known as the shepherd's sling. Someone who specialises in using slings is called a slinger.

Ballista Ancient missile weapon

The ballista, plural ballistae, sometimes called bolt thrower, was an ancient missile weapon that launched either bolts or stones at a distant target.

Trebuchet Siege engine using long arm to throw projectiles

A trebuchet is a type of catapult that uses a long arm to throw a projectile. It was a common powerful siege engine until the advent of gunpowder.

The Battle of Xiangyang was a key battle between the invading Mongols of the Yuan dynasty and Chinese Southern Song forces from AD 1267 to 1273. After the battle, the victorious Mongol forces pushed farther into the Chinese heartland. Previously for 30 years, Song China managed to handle several major offensives by the Mongol Empire. The strategic significance of Xiangyang came from the fact that it was in a position dominating the Han river. Once the Mongol forces occupied Xiangyang, they could travel by ships down the Han river into the Yangtze river. After the Battle of Xiangyang, China could not enjoy the protection of natural barriers any more and so it collapsed in just a few years, with the final battle being the relatively short naval Battle of Yamen in 1279.

Mangonel type of catapult or siege engine used in the medieval period

The mangonel, also called the traction trebuchet, was a type of trebuchet or siege engine used in Ancient China starting from the Warring States period, and later across Eurasia in the 6th century AD. Unlike the earlier torsion engines and later counterweight trebuchet, the mangonel operated on manpower pulling cords attached to a lever and sling to launch projectiles. Although the mangonel required more men to function, it was also less complex and faster to reload than the torsion powered ballista and onager which it replaced in early Medieval Europe.

Counterweight Equivalent weight that balances a system

A counterweight is a weight that, by exerting an opposite force, provides balance and stability of a mechanical system. Its purpose is to make lifting the load more efficient, which saves energy and is less taxing on the lifting machine.

Siege engine Pre-gunpowder fortress-warfare machines

A siege engine is a device that is designed to break or circumvent heavy castle doors, thick city walls and other fortifications in siege warfare. Some are immobile, constructed in place to attack enemy fortifications from a distance, while others have wheels to enable advancing up to the enemy fortification. There are many distinct types, such as siege towers to allow attacking soldiers to scale walls and attack the defenders, battering rams to break walls or gates, and catapults used to attack from a distance and fire a projectile. Some complex siege engines were combinations of these types.

Onager (weapon) Roman siege engine

The onager was an imperial-era Roman torsion powered siege engine; in other words, a small catapult. The onager was first mentioned in 353 AD by Ammianus Marcellinus, who described onagers as the same as a scorpion.

Ranged weapon weapon used to harm or kill at greater distances than that of direct hand-to-hand combat

A ranged weapon is any weapon that can engage targets beyond hand-to-hand distance, i.e. at distances greater than the physical reach of the weapon itself. It is sometimes also called projectile weapon or missile weapon because it typically works by launching projectiles, though technically a directed-energy weapon is also a ranged weapon. In contrast, a weapon intended to be used in hand-to-hand combat is called a melee weapon.

Roman siege engines were, for the most part, adapted from Hellenistic siege technology. Relatively small efforts were made to develop the technology; however, the Romans brought an unrelentingly aggressive style to siege warfare that brought them repeated success. Up to the first century BC, the Romans utilized siege weapons only as required and relied for the most part on ladders, towers and rams to assault a fortified town. Ballistae were also employed, but held no permanent place within a legion's roster, until later in the republic, and were used sparingly. Julius Caesar took great interest in the integration of advanced siege engines, organizing their use for optimal battlefield efficiency.

A lithobolos refers to any mechanical artillery weapon used and/or referred to as a stone thrower in ancient warfare. Typically this referred to engines that propel at stone along a flat track with two rigid bow arms powered by torsion, in particular all sizes of palintonon.

Petrary

Petrary is a generic term for a medieval stone-throwing siege engine, used to hurl large rocks against the walls of the besieged city, in an attempt to break down the wall and create an entry point.

The scorpio or scorpion was a type of Roman torsion siege engine and field artillery piece. It was described in detail by the early-imperial Roman architect and engineer Vitruvius in the 1st century BC and by the 4th century AD officer and historian Ammianus Marcellinus.

Torsion siege engine

A torsion siege engine is a type of artillery that utilizes torsion to launch projectiles. They were initially developed by the ancient Greeks, specifically Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great, and used through the Middle Ages until the development of gunpowder artillery in the 14th century rendered them obsolete.

The Floating Arm Trebuchet is a counterweight siege weapon which is a modern variation of the medieval trebuchet. Their defining feature is free movement of an axle on the throwing arm, and a linear drop channel for the counterweight. The design and construction of such machines is a popular project assignment in post-secondary engineering classes.

The Greeks and Romans both made extensive use of artillery for shooting large arrows or rocks.

References

  1. Toms, Ron, "The Big Book of Catapult and Trebuchet Plans!". Rit Industries, 2010
  2. 1 2 Dugdale-Pointon, TDP. (19 April 2004), Petraria Arcatinus
  3. 1 2 [ permanent dead link ], Companions of the Longbow, Petraria Arcatinus
  4. Hindley, Geoffrey, Medieval Sieges & Siegecraft. Skyhorse Publishing, 2009, p. 42
  5. 1 2 Chevedden, Paul (1998), The Hybrid Trebuchet, On the Social Origins of Medieval Institutions : Essays in Honor of Joseph F. O'Callaghan, p.190
  6. Hindley, Geoffrey, Medieval Sieges & Siegecraft. Skyhorse Publishing, 2009, p. 45
  7. Goodall, John (2000). Dover Castle and the Great Siege of 1216 Chateau Gaillard, v.19
  8. Rihll, Tracey Elizabeth, [Cite?J The Catapult: A History Westholme Publishing, 2007, p. 165].
  9. Chevedden, Paul E. (2000). The Invention of the Counterweight Trebuchet: A Study in Cultural Diffusion, Dumbarton Oaks Papers, v54, pp.71-116
  10. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2012-03-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) , Catapult Kits, Petraria Arcatinus