Page:Golden Fleece v1n1 (1938-10).djvu/44



A throwing machine for siege use—a pivoted arm with weight on one end and missile in a sling on the other. The "cannoneer" winds it up and then trips the beam. This weapon was used from the earliest Greek days till well past the days of Julius Caesar—who called it a "ballista."

THE FLAIL—A very ancient and widely used weapon, being found from the 13th to the 18th centuries in India, China and Japan. Originally, it probably was an agricultural implement, but its effectiveness for military use was soon increased by adding spikes. Very short flails were sometimes used by horsemen.