oxybeles
Illustration — Oxybeles The oxybeles was a weapon used by the Ancient Greeks starting in 375 BC. The word is derived from Ancient Greek: οξύς (oxys = sharp, pointed) and βέλος (belos = arrow). The weapon was basically an oversized gastraphetes, a composite bow placed on a stand with a stock and a trigger. It was supplanted by the scientifically engineered ballista.
oxybeles

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- tension artillery
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Illustration — Oxybeles The oxybeles was a weapon used by the Ancient Greeks starting in 375 BC. The word is derived from Ancient Greek: οξύς (oxys = sharp, pointed) and βέλος (belos = arrow). The weapon was basically an oversized gastraphetes, a composite bow placed on a stand with a stock and a trigger. It was supplanted by the scientifically engineered ballista.
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Overview
The difference between the two is the use of torsion power by the ballista. The most notable use of the oxybeles was under Alexander the Great's rule.
Oxybeles is a tension artillery or weapon family.
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reference work
- “Oxybeles”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
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- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1656564: oxybeles
General reference · Wikidata
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Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Grande Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa, vol. VIII.
- 2.aulete.com.br.
- 3.Michaelis On-Line.
- 4.Artillery: An Illustrated History of Its Impact. 2007.
- 5.web.archive.org. 2016-01-12.
- 6.Die Hornbogenarmbrust. Geschichte und Technik. 3-938921-02-1.
- 7., Greek Fortifications of Asia Minor 500-130 BC (Oxford 2009) p. 37 ISBN 9781846034152
- 8., Artillery: An Illustrated History of Its Impact (Santa Barbara 2007) pp. 3-5 ISBN 9781851095568
- 9.Greek and Roman Artillery: Historical Development.
- 10.Campbell, 2003, pp=3ff.
- 11.Forge, 2013, p=43
- 12., The Macedonian Empire (Jefferson 2004) p. 119 ISBN 9780786419180
- 13., Alexander 334-323 BC: Conquest of the Persian Empire (Oxford 2013) p. 49 ISBN 9781855321106
- 14.Philip II and the Sacred War. 90-04-09095-9.
- 15.Greek and Roman Artillery. Historical Development.
- 16.Simon Hornblower, "Biton", in Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth (eds.), The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3rd rev. ed. (Oxford University Press, 2005). The Greek may be transliterated Kataskeuai polemikon organon kai katapaltikon.
- 17.Poliorkētika kai poliorkiai diaphorōn poleōn =: Poliorcétique des Grecs : traités thēoriques . 1867.
- 18.Head, Duncan. Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars. 340. 2012. 978-1-326-56051-5.
- 19.Lahanas, Michael. Ancient Greek Artillery Technology from Catapults to the Architronio Canon. www.hellenicaworld.com.
- 20.www.treccani.it.
- 21.Griechische Mechanik und antike Gesellschaft. Studien zur staatlichen Förderung einer technischen Wissen schaft.
- 22.Die Griechischen Armeen. 3-7886-0181-7.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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