A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance

without the aid of explosive devicesparticularly various types of ancient

and medieval siege engines. Although the catapult has been used since
ancient times, it has proven to be one of the most effective mechanisms
during warfare. The word 'catapult' comes from the Latin 'catapulta', which in
turn comes from the Greek (katapelts), itself from (kata),
"downwards"[2] + (pall), "to toss, to hurl". Catapults were invented by
the ancient Greeks

Greek fire was an incendiary weapon developed ca. 672 and used by the Eastern Roman
(Byzantine) Empire. The Byzantines typically used it in naval battles to great effect as it
could continue burning while floating on water. It provided a technological advantage,
and was responsible for many key Byzantine military victories, most notably the
salvation of Constantinople from two Arab sieges, thus securing the Empire's survival.
The impression made by Greek fire on the west European Crusaders was such that the
name was applied to any sort of incendiary weapon,[1] including those used by Arabs, the
Chinese, and the Mongols. These, however, were different mixtures and not the
Byzantine formula, which was a closely guarded state secret, a secret that has since been
lost. The composition of Greek fire remains a matter of speculation and debate, with
proposals including combinations of pine resin, naphtha, quicklime, sulfur, or niter.
Byzantine use of incendiary mixtures was distinguished by the use of pressurized nozzles
or siphn to project the liquid onto the enemy.
Although the term "Greek fire" has been general in English and most other languages
since the Crusades, in the original Byzantine sources it is called by a variety of names,
such as "sea fire" (Ancient Greek: pyr thalssion), "Roman fire" (
pyr rhomakn), "war fire" ( polemikn pyr), "liquid fire" (
hygron pyr), or "manufactured fire" ( pyr skeuastn).[2][3]

A crossbow is a type of weapon, based on the bow, consisting of a horizontal bow-like

assembly mounted on a stock, that shoots projectiles called bolts or quarrels. The
medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word
ballista, a torsion siege engine resembling a crossbow.[1]
Historically, crossbows played a significant role in the warfare of East Asia, Europe and
the Mediterranean. The invention of the crossbow caused a major shift in the role of
ranged weaponry among armies, as the traditional bow and arrow had long been a
specialized weapons system which required a considerable degree of lifetime training,

physical strength and expertise to operate with any degree of efficiency; in many cultures,
despite being usually drawn from the common class, bowmen were considered a separate
and superior caste, as their archery skill-set (similar to many horseman cultures) was
essentially developed from birth and impossible to reproduce outside a pre-established
cultural tradition, which many nations lacked. In contrast, the crossbow was the first
projectile weapon to be simple, cheap and physically-undemanding enough to be
operated by large numbers of conscript soldiers, thus enabling virtually any nation with
sufficient coin to field a potent force of ranged crossbowmen with little expense beyond
the cost of the weapons themselves. This led to the ascendancy of large mercenary armies
of crossbowmen (best exemplified by the Genoese crossbowmen), and the eventual death
of the heavily armored aristocratic knight as armies became progressively dominated by
conscripts equipped with increasingly-powerful ranged projectile weapons.[citation needed]
In modern times, although largely supplanted by firearms in most roles, crossbows are
still widely used for shooting sports, hunting,[2] and when shooting in relative silence is an
important consideration.