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Ancient Engineering SeriesMANGONEL.com
Ballistic Technologies of Antiquity

Greek and Roman Ballista
 The Greek and Roman Ballista is the granddaddy of all field artillery. This display quality model is fully functional and really works!
   $79.00  more info

The Desktop Onager
 The Mighty Roman ONAGER, Now available in a desktop model. This display-quality model really works and can shoot missiles up to twenty feet.
   $26.95  more info

Lithobolos Ballista
 The Greek stone-throwing Ballista. This machine shoots golf balls, tennis balls, eggs, tomatoes or just about anything small and round. One of our most powerful machines.
   $159.00  more info

Science Project Experimenter's Catapult Kit (S.P.E.C.K.)
 The Ultimate Science Project Experimenter's Catapult Kit! It's fully adjustable, multi-configurable and repeatable. It's a perfect model for learning the scientific method!
   $59.00  more info

X-treme Onager
 Modeled after the Roman Onager, this torsion-based machine can hurl golf balls and tennis balls over 50 feet!
   $59.00  more info

TK3 Model Trebuchet
 The new TK3 Trebuchet Model Kit is an ideal science project machine! Use the hanging counterweight bucket for variable weights, or convert it to a fixed counterweight machine. Wheels, or no wheels. The choice is yours!
   $59.00  more info

The Desktop Trebuchet
 Defend your desktop! The mere presence of this striking machine on your desk will induce fear and respect among your peers. Take charge and besiege your opponents with a fully functional, genuine trebuchet for your desk!
   $34.95  more info

Catapult and Trebuchet Book
 Catapult Design, Construction and Competition with the Projectile Throwing Engines of the Ancients, and Forward by Ron Toms. If you've ever wanted to build a catapult or trebuchet, then you need to buy this book!
   $19.95  more info

Science Project Catapult with Experiment Guide.
 A multi-configurable catapult kit designed specifically for school science experiments. Test counterweighted vs. spring powered, sling vs. spoon launcher, wheeled and not, arm stop or let it swing through, and any combination. Experiment Guide included!
   $39.00  more info

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Interesting Notes

What is a Mangonel?


The term "mangonel" literlally means "engine of war." It is a ballistic device, usually some type of artillery. In other words, a catapult. But "catapult" is a more general word that includes a broad range of things that use mechanical means to shoot a projectile, including slingshots and aircraft carrier launch systems. So a mangonel is a unique type of catapult.

The word Mangonel derives from the ancient Greek word "Manganon", literally meaning "engine of war". The Romans called it a Manganum. In pre-medieval French the word Manganum was changed to Manganeau, and the English changed that to Mangonel in the 1300s.

The history gets a little sketchy in the middle ages, but some historians believe that "mangonel" was shortened to the word "gonnel" about the same time that cannons were being developed, and later still, "gonnel" was shortened to "gun." And to this day, in the military a gun is strictly big artillery. (Rifles and pistols are referred to as "weapons", NOT "guns".)

The three most common types of ancient mangonels are the Greek Ballista, The Roman Onager, and the Trebuchet.

In France, the word Mangonel is used for a Trebuchet that uses a fixed counterweight for power. (The other kind of trebuchet, the hanging counterweight type, is called a "Trebuchet". Go figure!)

The English use the term Mangonel and Onager interchangeably for the Roman single-arm torsion machine.

The Greek catapult, probably the first machine to be called a mangonel, was also known as the Ballista and is where we get the word "ballistic".