Comment by shevy-java
6 hours ago
> 14th century
While this death may be the first confirmed from a trebuchet, is that really the first death by a trebuchet? Plus, I'd say catapults are almost identical to a trebuchet in workings, for the most part. I don't quite believe that this was really the first death by catapult.
Catapults store energy using elastic deformation, like a bow; counterweight trebuchets store energy using gravity.
Didn't the Romans have something similar?
The Romans had onagers and ballista, both of which work via string tension. Then around 6AD it seems string traction (mangonels) where introduced from China and finally counterweight/gravity was introduced in the 12th century.
Basically more primitive versions of the same.