Medieval Siege Weapons That Were Ahead of Their Time

In Medieval times (not to be confused with the popular dinner theater franchise), warfare was primarily composed of a series of siege attempts. Though they didn’t have the advanced modern technology that we see in today’s warfare, they needed powerful weaponry to take down structures like castles. As a result, we’ve borrowed from these ancient designs over time, developing and improving upon them. These Medieval siege weapons paved the way for some intense modern weaponry.

Several iconic and powerful Medieval weapons were ahead of their time. The list could truly go on forever, but we’d be sitting here for hours. People in Medieval times were far smarter than history tends to give them credit for. They did so much with very few resources, allowing the rest of us to grow from the designs they developed.

Modern militaries couldn't be here today without their work. So, giving yourself the chance to study this technology helps you better understand how modern warfare (and, frankly, the rest of the world) works.

This is perhaps the most well-known Medieval weapon. You can see it used in movies and TV, including cartoons like Scooby Doo. It is operated via brute force, with a small army of soldiers operating it at once, using their joint power to ram into an object or building. Sometimes, a battering ram would simply be crafted from a log or other large structure found in nature.

Fans of Minecraft and Fortnite use self-defense weapons like siege towers without even realizing it. These giant towers were like modern-day tanks. They were transportation devices, as well as weapons. Large fleets of soldiers would enter the tower, and then the tower would move toward its enemy. This way, they could attack opponents while also protecting themselves from those same opponents. 

These large missile launchers are not quite the same as the high-tech shooters that we’re used to today. However, their design is directly responsible for their existence. They would fire objects like arrows or bolts at opponents via a sling-like mechanism. Over time, additions were made to the traditional Greek design, allowing it to be more effective in combat.

This is another Medieval weapon that looks like it should belong in a game like Fortnite. It was a little bit like a ballista, but the differences were noticeable enough to make it its own thing. The device fired large bolts and stones, and it was significantly more sturdy than a ballista. 

The catapult has also been memed and cartooned to the heavens, but that’s because its mechanisms are so impressive for the time it was invented. People in ancient times had to be far more inventive than we are today, using only simple items like wood and rope to create full military-grade weaponry to defeat their opponents in seriously bloody battles.