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Difference between Catapult and Ballista
#1
Reading a piece of Livy (Ab Urbe Condita, 26, 47, 5-6), I found that Scipio Africanus, after taking Carthago Nova captured various punic siege engines:

"captured also was a vast amount of war material: a hundred and twenty catapults of the largest model, two hundred and eightyone of the smaller; twentythree larger ballistae, fiftytwo smaller; larger and smaller scorpions and arms and missile weapons."

Now, beside the curious fact that apparently the Carthaginian had field artillery like the scorpio, I was intersted to understand the difference between ballista and catapult.
Apparently both weapons were torsion throwing weapons with arms, and I can't find any reference of difference of projectiles -at least for catapults i found reference of dart throwing -Katapeltai oxybeles- and stones -katapeltai petroboloi, or lithoboloi-.

Any help?

Thank you in advance!
Gioal Canestrelli "Caturix"

- www.evropantiqva.org -
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#2
It mostly has to do with arm configuration and other things. D.B. Campbell can explain it best.
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#3
You can find a discussion of some of this in: Ancient Warfare magazine Vol. IX.3.

Or a bit more technical in: Hesperia Vol. 80 (2011).

There are still areas of confusion and controversy, but dividing artillery into catapultae/ballistae seems usually to have meant arrow-shooters/stone-projectors.
posted by Duncan B Campbell
https://ninth-legion.blogspot.com/
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#4
Thank you very much!
Gioal Canestrelli "Caturix"

- www.evropantiqva.org -
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