Roman siege engines

siege engine originating in ancient times

thumb|Illustration of a ballista being loaded and drawn

siege engine

treatise on architecture by Vitruvius

Roman siege engine

thumb|Miniature model of a Chinese mangonel (traction trebuchet)

REDIRECT Carroballista

siege engines deployed by ancient Roman armies

siege engine

thumb|upright=1.35|A Roman carroballista from the time of Trajan Carroballista was an ancient, cart-mounted ballista, a type of mobile field artillery. According to the Roman author Vegetius (Epitoma rei militaris II.25), each legion had 55 carroballistae (one per centuria) which were arrow/bolt-shooter of the cheiroballistra () type. Vegetius tells us that each carroballista was carried by mules and operated by one contubernium (i.e., eight soldiers commanded by one decanus). Surviving representation of a carroballista are from the bas-reliefs of Trajan's Column (Scene XL and Scenes LXV/LXVI)