Cheiroballistra

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The cheiroballistra (Greek) or manuballista (Latin), which translates in all its forms to 'hand ballista', was a late 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.

References

External links

• Article on ballista (shown), scorpio and cheiroballistra
• Reconstructing the cheiroballistra (archive)
• Drawing (archive)
• Greco-Roman artillery

Ancient mechanical artillery and hand-held missile weapons
Generic phrases	Greek and Roman artillery Ballista Catapult Torsion siege engine
Crew-served arrow-shooters	Carroballista Catapulta Oxybeles Polybolos Scorpio
Crew-served stone-projectors	Lithobolos Onager
Hand-held weapons	Cheiroballistra Crossbow Gastraphetes