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Lithobolos Ballista


NOTE: This item has been discontinued.
For detailed plans to build one using your own materials, including dimensional drawings and assembly instructions, tuning hints and more, please go to www.OnagerPlans.com

Or, for our new, smaller, wheeled version of this machine, go to www.CatapultKits.com

The ballista is an engine of war invented by the Greeks sometime around 800 BCE, and also used by the Romans. Ballistae were constructed of different sizes for the various purposes of siege and field warfare. The largest ones could throw projectiles weighing up to fifty pounds as far as 400 yards!

The ballista uses a pair of skeins (bundles of twisted rope) for power. Similar to the working of a crossbow, the Ballista actually preceded the crossbow in western culture by over a thousand years.

This model is in the lithobolos style of machine. Rather than shooting bolts (arrows) and darts, this machine shoots golf balls, tennis balls, eggs, lemons, tomatoes or just about anything small and round. The original lithobolos machines fired stones or lead balls, and was the ancient equivalent of the cannon.

We've extensively studied the design and construction of the ballista, and we think this model is a fantastic representation of the ancient Greek machine. This model kit is fully functional, easy to build, and a whole lot of fun to shoot. The completed model is 41 inches long and 24 inches wide (not including the sweep of the arms). It stands 31 inches tall and is capable of hurling a golf ball over 200 feet!

The kit is hand crafted from high quality hardwood and includes a working winch, forged iron trigger mechanism, real leather pouch and solid steel capstans to anchor the strong polyester-rope skeins. (Diamond-braid polyester rope has the closest properties to the ancient horsehair and sinew ropes, and it's the best material available for these machines today.)

The detailed instructions are complete with diagrams, photos, tuning tips, history notes and web links for even more information about catapults! All parts are pre-cut, pre-drilled and can be assembled to a working model in one evening.

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    Price: $159.00
    Minimum age: 14
    Availability: out of stock

    Item code: 10500

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Interesting Notes

Some Trebuchet History:

From the 13th century writing: "Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi"

In June and July of 1191, Richard the Lionheart (the Duke of Normandy) laid siege to the city of Acre as part of the medieval Crusades.

The Duke concentrated on constructing siege machines and placing trebuchets [petrariae - literally, stone hurler] in suitable places. He arranged for these to shoot continually day and night. He had one excellent one which he called "Bad Neighbor" [Malvoisine]. Its continual bombardment partly destroyed the main city wall and shattered the Cursed Tower. On one side the Templars' trebuchet wreaked impressive devastation, while the Hospitallers trebuchet also never ceased hurling, to the terror of the Turks.

Besides these, there was a trebuchet that had been constructed at general expense, which they called "God's Stone-Thrower". A priest, a man of great probity, always stood next to it preaching and collecting money for its continual repair and for hiring people to gather the stones for its ammunition. This machine at last demolished the wall next to the Cursed Tower for around two perches' Length [11 yards or 10 meters].

The count of Flanders had had a choice trebuchet, which King Richard had after his death, as well as another trebuchet which was not so good. These two constantly bombarded the tower next to a gate which the Turks frequently used, until the tower was half-demolished. Besides these, King Richard had two new ones made with remarkable workmanship and material which would hit the intended target no matter how far off it was. . . . He also had two mangonels [traction trebuchets] prepared. One of these was so swift and violent that its shots reached the inner streets of the city meat market.

King Richard's trebuchets hurled constantly by day and night. It can be firmly stated that one of them killed twelve men with a single stone. That stone was sent for Saladin to see, with messengers who said that the diabolical king of England had brought from Messina, a city he had captured, sea flint and the smoothest stones to punish the Saracens. Nothing could withstand their blows; everything was crushed or reduced to dust.