It Takes Skill to Kill Trivia Quiz

Answer: Claw of Archimedes

Also known as the iron hand, the Claw of Archimedes was invented by the great scientist to protect the seaward wall of his native Syracuse from attack. According to ancient historians, the claw was attached to some sort of crane that had the ability to raise a ship from the water and then slam it down, causing it to capsize and sink. During the Second Punic War, the Romans attempted a sea assault on Syracuse, which apparently ended in disaster for them. Using both the Claw of Archimedes and some sort of catapult that had also been invented by Archimedes, the people of Syracuse were able to stall the inevitable; the Romans, however, did eventually take Syracuse, and Archimedes was killed by a Roman soldier who took umbrage at being told not to bother him.

Answer: Caltrop

Also called a crow's foot, the earliest known use of the caltrop was by the Persians at the Battle of Gaugamela against Alexander the Great. This type of weapon was used by many different groups; for example, it was utilized in both ancient Rome and feudal Japan. Evidence has even been found that suggests the caltrop was used at Jamestown, the first successful English colony in America. Basically made of metal spikes, the genius behind the caltrop is that no matter how it is placed, there is always one spike that points upward.

In ancient times it was used effectively against horses, elephants, camels, chariots, and people; in modern times, it is very effective against vehicles that have tires.

Answer: Rhodes

Siege towers were used successfully by many ancient empire builders like the Assyrians, however, the Helepolis was constructed especially to use during the siege of Rhodes in 305 BC. Hoping to force the people on the island to abandon their neutrality and sever their relationship with Ptolemy I, Demetrius Poliorcetes, son of Antigonus I, designed and used the Helepolis to lay siege to the island.

The monumental siege tower not only weighed 160 tons, but also required a total of 3,400 men working together to move the tower. (Yikes!) Iron-plated and equipped with several catapults, the Helepolis had different levels which held archers. Unfortunately for Demetrius Poliorcetes, not only did the Rhodians hold out, but they also are said to have made enough money salvaging the abandoned tower to build the famous Colossus of Rhodes!

Answer: Hyksos

The Egyptians did not invent the wheel or the chariot for that matter, but they took the idea for war chariots from the Hyksos invaders, modified it, using two wheels and two people - a driver and an archer - and made quite an efficient killing machine.

While there is much debate as to which was superior in battle - mounted cavalrymen or chariots - it must be noted that a chariot provided a more effective base for archers and carried more ammunition than a man could on horseback. On the other hand, it was extremely important to choose the terrain on which the battle would be fought wisely, and it was not possible, with all the noise made by the chariots, to plan any kind of sneak attack.

The ancient Egyptians participated in the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites in 1274 BC; with both sides utilizing a total of 5,000-6,000 chariots, it is considered to have been the largest chariot battle ever fought.

Interestingly, both sides claimed the victory!

Answer: Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire or eastern part of the Roman Empire is said to have used Greek fire, invented in approximately AD 672, in naval battles. Projected onto the enemy using some sort of siphon, Greek fire would continue to burn - even on water. In addition, it was not easily extinguished; it is believed that only a few items, such as sand or strong vinegar, could put out the fire. And the siphon, or pressurized nozzle, appears to have been the key to making Greek fire especially deadly.

Its composition was kept as such a closely-guarded secret, that the ingredients of Greek fire are still unknown today! One thing is for certain.

It saved the Byzantine capital of Constantinople twice from Arab sieges. While the Arabs also used incendiary weapons, they did not employ the all-important siphon.

This gave them a limited range, as their weapons were either launched by hand or catapults. Of course, attackers eventually learned that they had to stay out of range of the potent fire, but the use of the incendiary weapon allowed Constantinople to grow and prosper for several more centuries.

Answer: Zhuge Crossbow

Also known as the Zhuge crossbow, many believe the repeating crossbow was invented in China during the 2nd century AD, although there is some evidence that suggests that it may have been invented there several hundred years earlier. Zhuge, a military tactician during the period of the Three Kingdoms, is given credit for this invention, that used gravity to drop bolts into a firing mechanism.

It is estimated that an experience fighter could shoot ten bolts in just fifteen seconds! Even though the bolts were smaller and lighter than those used in other weapons, putting poison on the tips helped to increase the number of casualties on the battlefield.

In fact, just think about what it would be like to have hundreds of soldiers on the battlefield with the version that could shoot three bolts at once!

Answer: Trebuchet

While a trebuchet is normally viewed as a medieval weapon, the truth is that an early predecessor of the weapon, called a traction trebuchet, is believed to have originated in China sometime in the 4th century BC. Ropes pulled by 15-45 men were attached to the short projection of a lever that had a sling on the longer projection.

A variety of items, including stones, lime, or sulfur, could be used against an enemy. In addition, the traction trebuchet was a versatile weapons that could be used on warships, carts, or as a stand-alone siege engine.

Answer: Ballista

Some historians believe the earliest mention of the ballista is in the Old Testament, where it is described as part of King Uzziah's arsenal! The ballista that was developed in ancient Greece was adapted from a hand-held crossbow that was attached to a base for stability.

Many times the components of the siege weapon were transported to the battlefield and it was constructed on-site. Phillip II and his more famous son, Alexander the Great, are credited with using the ballista as a siege engine; historians believe the weapon was best used against soldiers, or perhaps, small structures. Of course, the Romans, great engineers that they were, continued to modify the ballista, and even made a version that was hand-held.

Answer: Horn

Also called a laminated bow, the horn, which stored energy in the compression, in the bow faced the archer, the sinew, which stored energy in the tension, was on the opposite side of the bow, and the wood, which gave stability to the instrument, was in the middle.

The main advantages to the bow is that it was smaller and had more power than a wooden bow; the disadvantages include the extra time needed for constructing the bow (a wooden bow is estimated to have been ready for use in a week - it would take months for the glue to dry on a composite bow) and its susceptibility to coming unglued in humid conditions. Who invited the composite bow? The credit typically goes to groups who lived on the steppes of Asia, however, there isn't much evidence to support the claim.

It is known, however, that the Chinese, Assyrians, and Egyptians who came into contact with the nomads, also adopted the use of their composite bow; the weapon remained relevant for centuries for use in the horse cavalry until, of course, the use of gunpowder became known in places outside of China.

Answer: Potassium Nitrate

The earliest formula for gunpowder has been found in 11th century China; also known as black powder, gunpowder was made with charcoal and sulfur serving as the fuel, and potassium nitrate, or saltpeter, serving as the oxidizer. There are few contemporary accounts that attest to the first use of gunpowder in battle, and the early Chinese name for the mixture, which translates into "fire medicine", came into existence centuries after gunpowder was invented.

It has been estimated that it took about two hundred years for news of the invention to spread to Europe.

In 1241 at the Battle of Mohi, the invading Mongol army fought with firearms and grenades that used gunpowder; after the battle it is said that the Kingdom of Hungary was in ruins.