What is the first weapon you think of when you talk about ancient long-range weapons? Probably a bow or the more recent crossbow. What about the Sling? This seemingly very simple weapon consisting of only ropes and a stone was much more effective than the bow. For example, you have probably heard the story of how David, armed with a sling, was able to defeat the huge enemy Goliath. And you probably think that's just a legend. But the people of antiquity knew what this formidable weapon was capable of.

You can find stories of how the slinger could kill a bull from a distance of 500 feet [150 meters]! And with a single blow. And the Hero of Alexandria, a Greek mathematician and engineer, wrote that a lead projectile fired from a sling would pierce a bronze cuirass and get stuck in the body of the opponent. And no special projectiles were needed for this weapon. When you ran out of ammunition, you could just start shooting rocks.

Later in the Middle Ages, people decided to modify this weapon and built a giant version of the Sling, which could throw a 300-pound [135 kg] projectile!

We are going to tell you how this weapon killed half of all Europeans and why the Conquistadors were so afraid of this Aztec sword. And how the Chinese invented the first-hand cannon.