Polybolos

[4] However the earlier and similar oxybeles employed a tension crosbow mechanism, before it was abandoned in favor of torsion.

The mensa itself was a sliding plank (similar to that on the gastraphetes) containing the claw latches used to pull back the drawstring and was attached to the chain link.

When loading a new bolt and spanning the drawstring, the windlass is rotated counterclockwise by an operator standing on the left side of the weapon; this drives the mensa forward towards the bow string.

With the drawstring pulled back and a bolt loaded on the mensa, the polybolos is ready to be fired.

In 2010, a MythBusters episode was dedicated to building and testing a replica, and concluded that its existence as a historical weapon was plausible.