Ancient Roman 'Machine Gun' Revealed in Pompeii: A Weapon That Launched Barrages of Metal-Tipped Bolts!

LONG before Pompeii’s residents were killed by molten rock blasting from Mount Vesuvius they faced another fast-moving threat.

Evidence of a lethal weapon has been discovered that could be likened to an ancient machine gun due to its rapid-fire technology.

Study reconstructs what the weapon would have looked likeCredit: Adriana Rossi et al Scientists uncovered evidence from holes in wall in PompeiiCredit: Adriana Rossi et al Clues were found on Pompeii’s northern defensive wallsCredit: Getty

Experts have reconstructed what the killer apparatus would have looked like after uncovering battlescars on a wall in .

The device was used by Roman soldiers to fire multiple metal-tipped bolt projectiles during a siege.

It’s described as a “repeating catapult” with an automatic loading system.

Researchers believe this great battle happened in the historic city in 89 BC – some 168 years before it was famously destroyed by the eruption of the volcano.

Volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius’s eruption have kept the clues preserved for over 2,000 years.

The weapon, known as polybolos, was likely used during the so-called Social Wars which saw several cities grow tired of Roman rule and staged a huge fight back.

While scientists haven’t recovered an old sample of the weapon, they have found clues in impact marks of Pompeii’s northern defensive walls.

At the time of the war, general Lucius Cornelius Sulla told troops to specifically target Pompeii’s northern walls where those resisting were met with brutal and heavy fire.

The city ended up surrendering to the Romans and was annexed.

A team from ‘s University of Campania analysed these marks and found they don’t match the short of dents experts expect to see from most usual Roman artillery such as catapults and ballistae.

Instead it appears to be something far more sophisticated.

And it corresponds with a mega weapon only ever detailed in ancient scripts from the time.

These marks leave tiny, four-sided pits which are linked to the polybolos.

According to writings, the polybolos was invented by a Greek engineer called Dionysius of Alexandria in the 3rd century BCE.

But archaeologists have never been able to find one in the flesh.

Using special laser scanning and 3D modelling the team were able to work out the ammunition used during the attack.

Their findings were published in the Heritage journal.