Critical Review of Developments in the Application of Catapult in Wars during the Islamic Periods

Being one of the heaviest weapons، mangonel (Manjanik) was considered as an important weapon of war during the Islamic median ages. It was used to beat and infiltrate defensive city walls. The mangonel (Manjanik) was simple during the early Islamic conquests، but over time and with the increased strength and parallel evolution of the city’s defensive walls، mangonel (Manjanik) also increasingly changed and evolved; to the extent that during the Umayyad period، oil and fire mangonel (Manjanik) were created and during the Abbasid period، the Manjanikeeyoon became a known caste with specific responsibilities for the Army. In the present paper we will be studying the history of this heavy launch weapon and its developments till the end of the Abbasid period.