The ballista (Latin, from Greek βαλλίστρα ballistra and that from βάλλω ballō, "throw"), plural ballistae, was an ancient missile weapon that launched a large projectile at a distant target.
The earliest mention of ballista in literature occurs in the Bible, as invented and used under the reign of king Uzziah: II Chronicles 26:15: "And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong."
Developed from earlier Greek weapons, it relied upon different mechanics, using two levers with torsion springs instead of a prod (the bow part of a modern crossbow), the springs consisting of several loops of twisted skeins. Early versions projected 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.
Harry Sidebottom is a British author and historian, best known for his fiction series Warrior of Rome. He is currently working on a new series, Throne of the Caesars. The first volume, Iron and Rust, was published in 2014. He is Fellow and Tutor in Ancient History at St. Benet's Hall and lecturer at Lincoln College, Oxford.
Sidebottom was born in Cambridge and raised in Newmarket, Suffolk, where his father worked as a racehorse trainer. He attended Fairstead House School, Newmarket and The King's School, Ely.
Sidebottom studied Ancient History for his first degree, at Lancaster University (1977–1980). He was awarded an MPhil in 1982 from the University of Manchester and later a DPhil from Oxford University. He studied at Corpus Christi College, where he is a member of the Senior Common Room. He has appeared as a presenter on the History Channel's Ancient Discoveries.
From the beginning Sidebottom intended the Warrior of Rome to be a series structured in trilogies. The first three volumes take place in the Middle East and subsequent arcs are set around the Black Sea, the Baltic, Sicily, North Africa, and Italy. Sidebottom stated he drew inspiration for the series from historical writer Tacitus and commented that he had based several of the series' elements on real people and events from history. The series has sold well, with Fire in the East selling over 100,000 copies and spending five weeks in the UK top 10 upon its release. Worldwide the series has sold over half a million copies.
I can't stop this feeling
Deep inside of me
Girl, you just don't realize
What you do to me
When you hold me
In your arms so tight
You let me know
Everything's all right, ahahah
I'm hooked on a feeling
I'm high on believing
That you're in love with me
Lips as sweet as candy
Their taste stays on my mind
Girl, you keep me thirsty
For another cup of wine
I got it bad for you girl
But I don't need a cure
I'll just stay addicted
If I can endure
All the good love
When we're all alone
Keep it up girl
Yeah, you turn me on
I'mmm, I'mmm hooked on a feeling
I'm high on believing
That you're in love with me
All the good love
When we're all alone
Keep it up girl
Yeah, you turn me on
Ahaha I'm hooked on a feeling
I'm high on believing
That you're in love with me
I'm hooked on a feeling
I'm high on believing
That you're in love with me
I say I'm hooked on a feeling
And I'm high on believing
That you're in love with me