Crossbow\'s origins

[M.ilionario]

Probably this was already asked but I can't find the exact answer to this:
Where, when and by whom was the first crossbow created?
How did it work?
Post pics if you have them.
Thanks :wink:

[Tarbicus]

[url:fvty6equ]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossbow[/url]

[url:fvty6equ]http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~ajcd/archery/faq/crossbow.html#HISTORY[/url]

It's a start :wink:

[M.ilionario]

Well, I'm pretty stupid eh? Didn't even check wiki :oops:

[Tarbicus]

Bear in mind that Wiki is not always the most reliable. Some definitions of Roman armour and weapons are pretty scandalous IMHO.

[M.ilionario]

Just as I think, but it's where everyone should start searching.

[Thersites]

Very sorry it is in Spanish. Too busy to translate it. Hope you can read it.

Gastraphetes: la primera ballesta.

Más lejos. Más fuerte. Estos han sido los deseos de cualquier arquero a lo largo de la Historia. Sin embargo, hay límites a lo que la musculatura humana puede hacer, y esos límites se alcanzaron con el arco compuesto (ver La Aventura de la Historia 40). A partir de un determinado momento, para conseguir tensar un arco de mayor alcance y potencia se requiere ayuda mecánica. Y ese es el principio fundamental de la ballesta. La primera pieza de este tipo de la que tenemos noticia, cuyo mecanismo básico serviría luego para piezas de artillería mucho más pesadas, es el gastraphetes o >arco de vientre=, nombre cuya razón se hará evidente enseguida.
Conocemos el gastraphetes sólo por la detallada descripción que hizo Herón de Alejandría en su Tratado de Artillería o Belopoeica. Aunque Herón vivió a mediados del s. I después de Cristo, su manual dependía mucho de los trabajos, hoy perdidos, de Ctesibio de Alejandría, quien había vivido a mediados del s. III a.C. Las descripciones de Heron se ajustan por tanto más al periodo clásico y helenístico que a la tecnología -más desarrollada- de su propia época.
La construcción de este artefacto era extremadamente ingeniosa. Su principio básico es: >si el arco es demasiado duro para tensarlo tirando de él con brazos y espalda, hagámoslo empujando con toda la fuerza y peso del cuerpo=. Veamos como conseguirlo.
La pieza básica era un arco compuesto de tipo tradicional con madera, asta y tendones, aunque mucho más potente (ver La Aventura de la Historia 40), que se disparaba horizontal y no vertical. Aunque a principios del s. XX se hicieron reconstrucciones con un arco de acero, Marsden ha probado convincentemente que en el s. IV a.C. no debía utilizarse dicho material. Este arco estaba fijado al extremo de una larga base de madera recorrida a lo largo de toda su longitud por una acanaladura en forma de cola de milano, y por una cremallera de dientes metálicos fijada a ambos lados. En el extremo opuesto al arco se encontraba una pieza curva -para adaptarse al abdomen del tirador- rematada con dos asas laterales. Enganchada a la base por la cola de milano había una corredera móvil, de longitud similar a la base, y desplazable a voluntad. En su extremo trasero, unos tetones de metal se enganchaban en los dientes de la cremallera metálica de la base. Justo delante de esta pieza, un sencillo disparador de uña móvil accionada por una palanca enganchaba la cuerda del arco. En la parte superior de la corredera una pequeña acanaladura servía para colocar la flecha.


Para tensar el arco, en lugar de tirar de la cuerda hacia atrás para engancharla en la uña del disparador, el artillero actuaba al revés. Primero desplazaba hacia adelante la corredera móvil (Figura 1), y enganchaba la cuerda del arco -fijo a la pieza base- a la uña del disparador. A continuación, apoyaba contra el suelo un extremo del gastraphetes, sujetaba contra su vientre la base -empuñada por las asas laterales-, para luego apretar con todo el peso de su cuerpo (Figura 2). De ese modo, en lugar de tirar de la cuerda, lo que hacía era empujar toda la estructura de la base, que se iba deslizando hacia abajo, haciendo que los tetones de la corredera se fueran engranando en los dientes de la cremallera, cada vez más cerca del cuerpo del tirador, y por tanto tensando cada vez más la cuerda del arco (Figura 3). Así, en cualquier momento podía dejar de hacer fuerza sin perder el trabajo realizado. Finalmente, la carga concluía cuando la corredera había vuelto a su posición original alineada con la base, pero ahora manteniento enganchada la cuerda del arco, y soportando la brutal tensión gracias a los tetones de la corredera encajados en el último diente de la cremallera (Figura 4). La flecha se podía ahora colocar en la acanaladura de disparo. Finalmente, al apretar el disparador, la uña liberaba la cuerda que impulsaba el dardo (Figura 5); al tiempo, libre de la tensión que tendía a llevarla violentamente hacia adelante si no fuera por los tetones, la corredera quedaba otra vez lista pare desplazarse manualmente hacia adelante y comenzar la recarga.
Se cree hoy que el gastraphetes se inventó en Siracusa en el año 399 a.C. La fuente es Diodoro Sículo (XIV,41-42), quien a su vez resume a Filisto, historiador, consejero y amigo del tirano Dionisio I, quien había convertido Siracusa en un arsenal y centro de desarrollo armamentístico. Aunque algunos autores suponen una invención anterior, resulta difícil creer que si se hubiera empleado artillería durante la guerra del Peloponeso, en las décadas anteriores, el minucioso y experto historiador Tucídides no la mencione ni una sola vez.
Sin embargo, hay indicios indirectos de que quizá el Imperio Persa empleara artillería desde el s. VI a.C., pero esta fecha queda por demostrar. Por otro lado, la ballesta fue conocida en China desde al menos el s. V a.C.; inventada de modo independiente, se conocen mecanismos de disparo chinos en bronce datados hacia el 200 a.C., y referencias literarias anteriores.
El proceso de carga del gastraphetes era lento e incómodo, y difícil tomar puntería. Sin embargo, la gran potencia del arco le dotaba de un alcance y capacidad de penetración muy superiores al arco compuesto normal, en torno a un 25% de ventaja o más según Marsden. En consecuencia, este artefacto era especialmente útil en situaciones de asedio. Por otro lado, los mecanismos se revelaron eficaces, y fueron desde entonces empleados en máquinas más potentes, de tensión primero y de torsión después (ver La Aventura de la Historia 98).
Pese a lo ingenioso del sistema, las ballestas manuales basadas en el gastraphetes no fueron especialmente populares en la Antigüedad. Tampoco otras basadas en un mecanismos más elemental, donde el arco se tensaba simplemente sujetándolo en el suelo con los pies y tirando de la cuerda con las dos manos hasta engancharla en la uña del disparador. La razón está en que las máquinas más pesadas, con grandes bases para fijarlas al suelo y tornos para tensar, permitieron enseguida mayor alcance y precisión en el tiro de asedio, mientras que en las batallas campales o en la caza el arco compuesto ofrecía mayor rapidez de tiro. Desde hace tiempo sabemos, por una serie de relieves encontrados en el valle del alto Loira, en Francia, que la Roma imperial se usaban en la caza ballestas sencillas. Es muy probable también que la arcuballista que menciona Vegecio en el s. IV d.C. fuera una forma de arbalesto o ballesta de tensión. Sin embargo, con la caída del Imperio de Occidente, parece que decayó o desapareció el uso de la ballesta durante varios siglos. Sólo reaparecería a partir del s. X d.C., bajo forma diferente.

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[Tarbicus]

Using a translation plugin, it goes something like:

Gastraphetes: the first crossbow.

More far. More fort. These have been desires of any arquero throughout History. Nevertheless, there are limits to which the human musculatura can do, and those limits were reached with the compound arc (to see the Adventure of History 40). As of a certain moment, to be able to tighten an arc of greater reach and power mechanical aid is required. And that is the fundamental principle of the crossbow. The first piece of this type of that we have the news, whose basic mechanism would be used soon for much more heavy pieces of artillery, is gastraphetes or > arc of vientre=, name whose reason will be made evident immediately.
We know gastraphetes only by the detailed description that made Herón of Alexandria in its Treaty of Artillería or Belopoeica. Although Herón lived in the middle of the s. I a.d., their manual depended much on the works, today lost, of Ctesibio of Alexandria, that had lived in the middle of the s. III a.C. The descriptions of Heron adjust more therefore to the classic and hellenistic period that to the technology - more developed of its own time.
The construction of this device was extremely ingenious. Its basic principle is: > if the arc is too hard to tighten throwing it of him with arms and back, we do pushing it with all the force and weight of cuerpo=. Let us see like obtaining it.
The basic piece was an arc composed of traditional with wood, spear and sinews, although much more powerful type (to see the Adventure of History 40), that went off nonvertical horizontal and. Although at the beginning of the s. XX reconstructions with an arc became of steel, Marsden has proven convincingly that in the s. IV a.C. this material did not have to be used. This arc was fixed to the end of one long wood base crossed throughout all its length by a acanaladura in form of milano tail, and by a rack of metallic teeth fixed to both sides. In the end opposed to the arc was a curved piece - to adapt to the abdomen of the gunner finished off with two lateral handles. Hooked to the base by the milano tail there was a movable track, of length similar to the base, and sliding voluntarily. In their back end, metal projections enlisted in the teeth of the metallic rack of the base. Just in front of this piece, a simple trigger of movable nail driven by a handle hooked the cord of the arc. In the superior part of the track a small acanaladura served to place the arrow.


In order to tighten the arc, instead of throwing of the cord backwards to hook it in the nail of the trigger, the artilleryman acted the other way around. First it moved the movable track forwards (Figure 1), and hooked the cord of the arc - fixed to the piece it bases to the nail of the trigger. Next, it supported against the ground an end of gastraphetes, held against its belly the base - grasped by the lateral handles, soon to tighten yet the weight of its body (Figure 2). That way, instead of throwing more and more of the cord, which for was to push all the structure of the base, that was slid downwards, doing that the projections of the track went gearing in the teeth of the rack, near the body of the gunner, and therefore tightening more and more the cord of the arc (Figure 3). Thus, at any time it could let make force without losing the made work. Finally, the load now concluded when the track had returned to its aligned original position with the base, but manteniento hooked the cord of the arc, and supporting to the brutal tension thanks to the projections of the track fitted tooth of the rack in the last (Figure 4). The arrow could now be placed in the acanaladura of firing. Finally, when tightening the trigger, the nail released the cord that impelled the dart (Figure 5); to the time, it frees of the tension that tended to take it violently forwards if not outside by the projections, the track were again lists stops to move manually forwards and to begin the charge.
It is created today that gastraphetes was invented in Siracusa in year 399 a.C. The source is Diodoro Sículo (XIV, 41-42), that summarizes as well to Filisto, historian, advisor and friend of the tyrant Dionisio I, who had turned Siracusa an arsenal and center of armamentístico development. Although some authors suppose a previous invention, is difficult to think that if artillery had been used during the war of the Peloponeso, in the previous decades, the meticulous and expert Tucídides historian not it mentions nor a single time.
Nevertheless, there are indirect perhaps indications that the Persian Empire used artillery from the s. I SAW a.C., but this date it is to demonstrate. On the other hand, the crossbow was well-known at least in China from the s. V a.C.; invented independent way, Chinese firing gears are known in bronze dated towards the 200 a.C., and previous literary references.
The process of load of gastraphetes was slow and uncomfortable, and difficult to take aim. Nevertheless, the great power of the arc equipped with a reach and penetration capability to him very superior to the normal compound arc, around a 25% of advantage or more according to Marsden. Consequently, this device was specially useful in siege situations. On the other hand, the mechanisms were revealed effective, and since then were used in more powerful machines, of tension first and torsion later (to see the Adventure of History 9Cool.
In spite of the ingenious thing of the system, the manual crossbows based on gastraphetes were not specially popular in the Antiquity. Either other cradles in mechanisms more elementary, where the arc was tightened simply holding it in the ground with the feet and throwing of the cord with the two hands until hooking it in the nail of the trigger. The reason is in that the heaviest machines, with great bases to fix them to the ground and winches to tighten, immediately allowed to greater reach and precision in the siege shot, whereas in the pitched battles or the hunting the compound arc offered greater rate of fire. For a long time we have been knowing, by a series of reliefs found in the valley of the Loira stop, in France, that imperial Rome was used in the hunting simple crossbows. It is very probable also that the arcuballista that mentions Vegecio in the s. IV d.C. it was a form of arbalesto or crossbow of tension. Nevertheless, with the fall of the Empire of the West, it seems that it decayed or it disappeared the use of the crossbow during several centuries. It would only reappear from the s. X d.C., under different form.

[Thersites]

hock: Ok, ok... Is there a way I can edit that -to put it into something approaching readable English?.
After all, it was my own paper in a 'glossy' magazine! :wink:

[Tarbicus]

Click on 'Edit' at the start (to the right) of your original post after selecting and Right-Click 'Copy'ing my translation. When the Edit of your post is shown simply select all of your Spanish text and Right-Click 'Paste'. It should replace your text with mine. Then click 'Submit'. I'll delete mine when you've done yours.

[Thersites]

OK, Tarbicus. I'll do it tomorrow... What could be more appropiate in a sunny Sunday's morn?

[M.ilionario]

Well Jim, that translation helped a lot....I'm not very good at Spanish....thanks for the text Fernando, I'm looking forward to your improved translation :wink:

[Dan Howard]

It is likely that the Chinese developed the crossbow before the Greeks. It is also likely that it developed independently in both areas.

[M.ilionario]

It is likely that the Chinese developed the crossbow before the Greeks. It is also likely that it developed independently in both areas.

Yup, very probably

[D B Campbell]

Sin embargo, hay indicios indirectos de que quizá el Imperio Persa empleara artillería desde el s. VI a.C., pero esta fecha queda por demostrar.

Welcome to RAT, Fernando! Your expertise will be very welcome here.

I know your remark quoted above was made tentatively. But I thought I would just point out that there isn't any real evidence for Persian artillery prior to Hellenistic times.

[Eleatic Guest]

It is likely that the Chinese developed the crossbow before the Greeks. It is also likely that it developed independently in both areas.

Something which has always amazed me is how similar technologies popped up in Europe and China, but without any intermediaries. Thus, we find artillery in Greece and Han China, but originally not in the vast stretch of land in between. Same with water powered mills, the wheelbarrow, gears, blast furnaces, coins, movable type printing, perhaps the compass.

This even applies to philosophy where both went through a stage of sophism. which even used the same paradoxes, for example the arrow paradox!