Pre-1700s

Ballista

Though they weren’t as technologically advanced like today, cannons have been around for many years and have played an important role in war. The ballista, for example, is an early form of catapult developed by Dionysus of Syracuse. It is basically an arrow firing catapult, though it could modified to catapult large stones. It was mostly constructed of wood and twisted rope. The ballista used spring bundle technology, which allowed it to project lighter objects at higher speed over longer distance. Ballistae were mainly used as siege weapons, so larger creations had to be made. Although larger ones have more force, they were harder to aim and had to be mounted on movable units. Later on, it was modified by Phillip II and his son, Alexander. The ballista eventually spread to the Roman Empire, where it was used by Julius Caesar. Since then, cannons have dramatically developed to become more versatile, powerful, and faster.