Page "Catapult" Paragraph 6

A third Greek author, Biton ( fl.

2nd c. BC ), whose reliability has been positively reevaluated by recent scholarship, described two advanced forms of the gastraphetes, which he credits to Zopyros, an engineer from southern Italy.

Zopyrus has been plausibly equated with a Pythagorean of that name who seems to have flourished in the late 5th century BC.

He probably designed his bow-machines on the occasion of the sieges of Cumae and Milet between 421 BC and 401 BC.

The bows of these machines already featured a winched pull back system and could apparently throw two missiles at once.