Giant Crossbow

During the 1400’s Italy was divided into separate city states who were constantly at war with each other. Da Vinci had to provide advice and new war inventions to interested (and more importantly paying,) patrons. Da Vinci himself was a staunch pacifist and one of the first recorded ethical vegetarians. The giant crossbow, although designed to fire rocks, was mainly designed to intimidate the enemy. This was an immense structure - over 86 feet long and 78 feet wide. Da Vinci envisaged it would take two men to cock the bow. The giant crossbow was another one of Da Vinci’s inventions that was never constructed during his time.