Modern reconstruction of one possible appearance of a cheiroballistra
The cheiroballistra (Greek: χειροβαλλίστρα) or manuballista (Latin), which translates in all its forms to "hand ballista", was an imperial-era Roman siege engine. Designed by Hero of Alexandria and mostly composed of metal (the spring mechanism and the skeins), it shot bolts that were smaller than those in other forms of ballistae and generally made of metal. It was the next major improvement after the scorpio.[1]
The name of the weapon is composed of the Greek words for 'hand' and 'shooter' implying that portable versions might also have existed, similar to crossbows.
^Warry, J. (1995). Warfare in the Classical World. P. 178 Salamander Books Ltd., London: United Kingdom. ISBN 0-8061-2794-5.
The cheiroballistra (Greek: χειροβαλλίστρα) or manuballista (Latin), which translates in all its forms to "hand ballista", was an imperial-era Roman siege...
weapon. There were probably different models of ballista under the cheiroballistra class, at least two different two-wheeled models and one model with...
carroballistae (one per centuria) which were arrow/bolt-shooter of the cheiroballistra type. Vegetius tells us that each carroballista was carried by mules...
have survived: two treatises by Heron of Alexandria, Belopoeika and Cheiroballistra; and the books by Biton of Pergamon, Philo of Byzantium and Vitruvius...
be used to conduct measurements based on Stereometrica and Metrica Cheiroballistra, about catapults Definitiones, containing definitions of terms for...
firing weapons such as arcuballista and manuballista respectively cheiroballistra. While most scholars agree that one or more of these terms refer to...
smeared on bolts, in which case even a small wound might prove fatal. Cheiroballistra Polybolos Rapid fire crossbow Panjagan Loades 2018. Lin, Yun. "History...
ballista, but smaller. Was sometimes mounted on a mule-drawn cart. Cheiroballistra Alexandria A Roman imperial era siege engine designed by Hero of Alexandria...
even in the western provinces where wooden bows were traditional. The cheiroballistra, also known as the manuballista, was a crossbow that was occasionally...
such as the ballistae, and the smaller, and more portable weapons, cheiroballistra were improved by King Philip II and Alexander the Great. After Rome...
century. The finding of many bolts associated with the scorpio or cheiroballistra, which were exclusively used by Roman legions, prove, according to...
Global Information
Ancient Rome portal