gastraphetes

The gastraphetes, also called belly bow or belly shooter, was a hand-held crossbow used by the Ancient Greeks. It was described in the 1st century by the Greek author Heron of Alexandria in his work Belopoeica, which draws on an earlier account of the famous Greek engineer Ctesibius. Heron identifies the gastraphetes as the forerunner of the later catapult, which places its invention some unknown time before c. 420 BC.

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Gastraphetes

Reconstructions of ancient mechanical artillery in the Saalburg Museum in Hesse, Germany.

Gastraphetes (reconstruction)

Gastraphetes Rekonstruktion Saalburg

Gastraphetes (reconstruction)

Gastraphetes Rekonstruktion Saalburg

Gastraphetes - catapult ancestor - antica catapulta

Gastraphetes - Biton's catapult - catapulta di Bitone

Gastrafetes. Museo Arqueológico Municipal de Alcoy

Gastrafetes. Museo Arqueológico Municipal de Alcoy

Type	Subtype	Date	Description	Notes	Source
commons	image		Gastraphetes		Commons
commons	image		Reconstructions of ancient mechanical artillery in the Saalburg Museum in Hesse, Germany.		Commons
commons	image		Gastraphetes (reconstruction)		Commons
commons	image		Gastraphetes Rekonstruktion Saalburg		Commons
commons	image		Gastraphetes (reconstruction)		Commons
commons	image		Gastraphetes Rekonstruktion Saalburg		Commons
commons	image		Gastraphetes - catapult ancestor - antica catapulta		Commons
commons	image		Gastraphetes - Biton's catapult - catapulta di Bitone		Commons
commons	image		Gastrafetes. Museo Arqueológico Municipal de Alcoy		Commons
commons	image		Gastrafetes. Museo Arqueológico Municipal de Alcoy		Commons