Did people actually use fire arrows?

In other words, flaming arrows really did exist, but they were only used in a few specific kinds of situations. Nonetheless, flaming arrows were occasionally used during sieges by besieging armies to set fire to things inside the city under siege.

Did fire catapults exist?

The historian Diodorus Siculus (fl. 1st century BC), described the invention of a mechanical arrow-firing catapult (katapeltikon) by a Greek task force in 399 BC. The weapon was soon after employed against Motya (397 BC), a key Carthaginian stronghold in Sicily.

Was boiling oil used in sieges?

1. Hot Oil was rarely thrown at attackers. The idea of buckets of hot oil being dropped on attackers is common in TV and film, but hot oil was rarely used as a weapon. Those defending the castle would sometimes pour hot sand, boiling water or quicklime on attackers who were using scaling ladders to climb the walls.

Did the Romans have catapults?

The Romans did not invent the catapult, but they improved the Greeks’ design which was created in the fourth century BC. The Romans had a number of different catapults that they used in different situations. The three main ones were the Scorpion, the Ballista and the Onager.

Would a flaming arrows stay lit?

They were made and dipped into tar and the like. This burns long and was able to stay lit in flight. a simple flaming arrow consisted of oil soaked cloth tied just under the arrow tip and would be shot at haystacks wood structures etc.

How long did sieges usually last?

Sieges were expensive & troops might be on a fixed term of service (typically 40 days) so time was also a factor to consider. The defenders might even have secret tunnels which allowed some movement of people and goods to circumvent the besiegers camped outside.

What were catapults used for in medieval castles?

A variety of catapults or siege engines were developed during the Middle Ages to fire stones, fireballs or other objects such as dead sheep, cattle, or plague victims, at the castle walls or into the castle itself.

Were flaming arrows used in ancient warfare?

Flaming arrows were indeed very real and were a common tactic against villages/towns/cities. On the field however, they wouldn’t be used. The logistics of special arrows plus the practical implications with archery make them a specialized weapon. Sun Tzu’s Art of War has an entire chapter devoted to fire warefare.

How did medieval castles defend themselves against battering rams?

Sometimes, the wooden castle gates were set on fire to weaken them. To defend against battering rams, defenders would fire arrows (sometimes flaming). They would often lower soft, padded curtains or wooden walls to lessen the impact of the battering rams. Finally, they could brace the castle doors or gates to withstand the forces of the blows.

What was the problem with bows and arrows in medieval warfare?

The main problem with them was that the speed of the arrow would extingush the flame, unless tho bow/crossbow was intentionally strung lose, in which case it would be useless for actual combat.