Ballista:
The ballista (from - ballo, "throw"), was a weapon developed from earlier
Greek weapons. It relied upon different mechanics, using two levers with torsion
springs instead of a prod, the springs consisting of several loops of twisted
skeins. Early versions ejected heavy darts or spherical stone projectiles of
various sizes for siege warfare. It developed into a smaller sniper weapon, the
Scorpio, and possibly the polybolos. (Courtesy Wikipedia)