View Full Version : Ancient Greek Crossobow-Thing???
the_handsome_viking
03-12-2007, 04:00
What the hell was the name of that Ancient Greek crossbow thing? obviously not the invention of Herod, but I mean the small crossbow looking catapult that could be carried by one man and fired in the manner of a crossbow, what was the name of that?
http://members.lycos.nl/onager/gastrophetes.html
Really, is it that hard to use a web browser? "crossbow wikipedia" - there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossbow
the_handsome_viking
03-12-2007, 04:06
Really, is it that hard to use a web browser? "crossbow wikipedia" - there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossbow
Went there already, it didnt have the information I was looking for. So to answer your question, no its not that hard.
Theres an old saying, if you've got nothing good to say don't say anything at all.
the_handsome_viking
03-12-2007, 04:07
http://members.lycos.nl/onager/gastrophetes.html
Thankyou very much.
Went there already, it didnt have the information I was looking for.
You mean like this information
The earliest date for the crossbow in the Greek world (called gastraphetes, which could store more energy than the Greek bows) is the Siege of Motya in 397 BC, a key Carthaginian stronghold in Sicily, as described in the 1st century CE by Heron of Alexandria in his book Belopoeica.
Anyway, I believe there was a small discussion about the gastraphetes a while back in one of the siege weapon threads, you'll probably find it if you do a search for gastraphetes in this forum.
Foot
Went there already, it didnt have the information I was looking for. So to answer your question, no its not that hard.
Theres an old saying, if you've got nothing good to say don't say anything at all.
The same can be said about this thread. Dude, look in the bloody article...
The earliest date for the crossbow in the Greek world (called gastraphetes, which could store more energy than the Greek bows) is the Siege of Motya in 397 BC, a key Carthaginian stronghold in Sicily, as described in the 1st century CE by Heron of Alexandria in his book Belopoeica.
...then you open up the link under "gastraphetes" and you get...
The gastraphetes (Greek γαστραφέτης, lit. 'belly-bow') was a handheld crossbow, used by ancient Greeks. It was described in the first century AD by the Greek author Heron of Alexandria in his work Belopoeica (Greek βελοποίικα, 'on catapult-making'). It is believed to have been invented around 400 BC.[citation needed]
The weapon was powered by a composite bow. It was cocked by resting the stomach in a concavity at the rear of the stock and pressing down with all strength. In this way considerably more energy can be summoned up than by using only one arm of the archer as in the hand-bow.
There are no attestations through pictures or archaeological finds, but the description by Heron is detailed enough to have allowed modern reconstructions to be made.
A larger version of the gastraphetes were the oxybeles, which were used in siege warfare. These were later supplanted by the early ballistae that later also developed into smaller versions supplanting also the gastraphetes.
Gah.
the_handsome_viking
03-12-2007, 04:19
You mean like this information
Anyway, I believe there was a small discussion about the gastraphetes a while back in one of the siege weapon threads, you'll probably find it if you do a search for gastraphetes in this forum.
Foot
There was indeed a discussion about Greek projectile weapons on this forum which is entirely the reason why I came here to ask after looking at Wikipedia
The gastraphetes is but one of these and the Wikipedia article on it wasn't was basically a step higher than a stub.
As I said before, I had already looked on Wikipedia.
the_handsome_viking
03-12-2007, 04:23
The same can be said about this thread. Dude, look in the bloody article...
How? it was a valid enough question for you to get heated about it.
And as I already stated, I went to Wikipedia and wasn't happy with the information I read there which is why I came here afterwards, It's not that hard a concept really considering the fact that I've asked questions like this in the past.
...then you open up the link under "gastraphetes" and you get...
abou made a polite effort and deserved a positive response.
The history of projectile mechanical weapons is long and complicated and therefore It's a good question to ask.
Gah.
Like I said, if you've got nothing to say...
Intranetusa
03-12-2007, 05:06
Did the gastrophetes have a trigger lock mechanism like in the Chinese crossobows? I can't tell from the picture link... :/
the_handsome_viking
03-12-2007, 05:41
Did the gastrophetes have a trigger lock mechanism like in the Chinese crossobows? I can't tell from the picture link... :/
It doesn't appear to have a trigger mechanism in the same location as Chinese Crossbows, that said there were quite a few types of Chinese crossbows.
http://198.144.2.125/Siege/OtherSiegeEngines/Full/gastrophetesPlan.jpg
I can't help but think the technologies been around for a very long time because it is quite a basic concept.
I assume that lever thing is the trigger.
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