The Claw of Archimedes and Other Weapons
The Claw of Archimedes is a weapon that he is said to have designed in order to defend the city of Syracuse in a siege. The claw consisted of a crane-like arm from which a large metal grappling hook was suspended. When the claw was dropped onto an attacking ship the arm would swing upwards, lifting the ship out of the water and possibly sinking it. Archimedes may have had it inspired by his law of the lever:
How did it work exactly?
After using heavy stones to drive back the Romans from the bows of their ships, a giant claw attached to a heavy chain would be let down and securely attached to the prow of the ship. Then, a giant lever was pressed down, a feat which required the strength of nearly the whole of Syracuse, causing the prow of the ship to be lifted up out of the water making the ship stand on its stern. Then, using a rope and pulley system the giant claw and chain would suddenly be loosed. The result, in many cases, was the capsizing of the ship or the plunging of the ship into the water where it was quickly filled and sunk.
A quote:
“At the same time huge beams were run out from the walls so as to project over the Roman ships: some of them were then sunk by great weights dropped from above, while others were seized at the bows by iron claws or by beaks like those of cranes, hauled into the air by means of counterweights until they stood upright upon their sterns, and then allowed to plunge to the bottom, or else they were spun round by means of windlasses situated inside the city and dashed against the steep cliffs and rocks which jutted out under the walls, with great loss of life to the crews. Often there would be seen the terrifying spectacle of a ship being lifted clean out of the water into the air and whirled about as it hung there, until every man had been shaken out of the hull and thrown in different direction, after which it would be dashed down empty upon the walls.”
(Plutarch, Greek historian, biologist and essayist)
Other Weapons
How did it work exactly?
After using heavy stones to drive back the Romans from the bows of their ships, a giant claw attached to a heavy chain would be let down and securely attached to the prow of the ship. Then, a giant lever was pressed down, a feat which required the strength of nearly the whole of Syracuse, causing the prow of the ship to be lifted up out of the water making the ship stand on its stern. Then, using a rope and pulley system the giant claw and chain would suddenly be loosed. The result, in many cases, was the capsizing of the ship or the plunging of the ship into the water where it was quickly filled and sunk.
A quote:
“At the same time huge beams were run out from the walls so as to project over the Roman ships: some of them were then sunk by great weights dropped from above, while others were seized at the bows by iron claws or by beaks like those of cranes, hauled into the air by means of counterweights until they stood upright upon their sterns, and then allowed to plunge to the bottom, or else they were spun round by means of windlasses situated inside the city and dashed against the steep cliffs and rocks which jutted out under the walls, with great loss of life to the crews. Often there would be seen the terrifying spectacle of a ship being lifted clean out of the water into the air and whirled about as it hung there, until every man had been shaken out of the hull and thrown in different direction, after which it would be dashed down empty upon the walls.”
(Plutarch, Greek historian, biologist and essayist)
Other Weapons