eul_aid: lsg
Βίτων ὁ Μηχανικός
Biton Mechanicus
1 work

Biton was a Hellenistic author known solely from his surviving technical treatise. No biographical details are recorded. Scholars date his activity to the 3rd century BCE based on his dedication of the work to a Queen Attalus, identified as a queen of the Attalid dynasty in Pergamon.

His only extant work is the "Construction of War Machines and Catapults." This manual provides detailed descriptions and dimensions for building eight siege engines, including four stone-throwing and four bolt-shooting catapults.

Biton’s treatise is a crucial technical document for understanding Hellenistic military engineering. It serves as both a practical manual and a demonstration of engineering skill for royal patronage, offering direct insight into the artillery technology and military priorities of the period. The text also preserves valuable, if indirect, historical references by attributing inventions to earlier engineers like Zopyrus of Tarentum.

Available Works

Κατασκευαὶ πολεμικῶν ὀργάνων καὶ καταπαλτικῶν
Constructions of War Machines and Catapults
10 passages