Throwing weapons
Siege engines used during the medieval period date back to the glorious days of the Roman Empire and required a special cadre of engineers to construct, transport and operate them. By the twelfth century, siege engines were used in groups, or batteries, with engineers working in shifts to keep them operating 24 hours a day. Missiles would include stone, bits of metal, inflammable material (such as tar-daubed pigs), corpses or just heads, dead animals, and dung. In at least one case, metal 'shrapnel' was encased in hardened clay which 'exploded' on impact, scattering pieces of metal amongst the defenders. Containers made from clay, known as 'carcasses', were used to fire inflammable liquids such as Greek fire.
Ballista
A late Roman, Romano-Byzantine and early medieval catapult which looked like an oversized crossbow. Used to shoot large arrows at personnel rather than to damage fortifications. Term eventually was used for a late medieval crossbow. Alternative term: funda.
Espringal
A large (bigger than the ballista) arrow-shooting catapult, the frame of which had two separate arms. Alternative terms: springarda, springal, springolf, and talevas (sometimes used to protect cavalry).
Tongue
Specific name for the large arrow shot from an espringal.
Onager
A stone throwing engine introduced by the Romans, but was still used in the early medieval times.
Caable
This was a small, single-armed, torsion powered, stone thrower and was used in 13th Century Northern France. Alternative terms: calabres, chadabula, chaablum, and perriere.
Mangonel
A medium-sized, torsioned, beam-and-cup stone-thrower. Since mangonel is a diminutive form of the word manga (also a stone throwing engine) it is unlikely that the mangonel was a large as many modern texts suggest. Alternative terms: boves, manganikon (Byznatium), petrarias (an even larger form of stone thrower).
Trebuchet
An adjustable, counterweighted, pivoted beam-and-sling, stone throwing engine. Capable of projecting stones of up to 1000 kg against a castle wall. Also known as a biffa, brigole, brigola, trebus and triboke.
Cannon and guns
With the rapid development of gun powder weapons in the late middle ages, siege warfare took a new path -- no longer were fortifications able to withstand bombardment. (Ignore all the controversy about the origin of gunpowder and equip your troops with powerful offensive weapons.) By the 14th century cannon were in increasing use, and by the end of the century large cannon were projecting balls of almost 400 kg. Large guns became a matter of status in siege warfare.
Pot de fer
Literally an 'iron pot'. This was an early form of cannon, especially used in the 14th century France. Illustrations of early pots (or vases) show a wide range of projectiles including darts, arrows, fire arrows, and iron balls.
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