arcuballista
arcŭ-ballista (better than balista), ae, f. [arcus],
- a ballista furnished with a bow; only Veg. Mil. 2, 15; 4, 22.
arcuballista, ae, f. (unser »Armbrust«), eine mit einem Bogen versehene Art der Ballista, die Bogenballista, Veget. mil. 2, 15 u. ö.
arcŭballista, æ, f. (arcus, ballista), arbalète : Veg. Mil. 2, 15.
ARCUBALLISTA
ARCUBALLISTAa crossbow, occurs first in Vegetius (de Re Mil. 2.15), but is probably identical with the scorpiones minores of Livy (Liv. 26.47, 49), and the σκορπιδία of Polybius (Plb. 8.7). The crossbowman is arcuballistarius (Veget. op. cit. 4.21). The same writer speaks of a manuballista as nearly the same weapon (2.15), the Greek equivalent of which, χειροβαλλίστρα, is described by the elder Heron in the first of his existing fragments. Saglio, who gives two illustrations from sculpture in the museum at Le Puy, well remarks that the name and the thing have both come down substantially unaltered (Fr. arbalète) from ancient times to modern.
[W.W]Arcuballista
A cross-bow. See Ballista.