Weapon development in the past 5,000 years

By Jeffrey berman
  • 2314 BCE

    brass and iron swords and spears entered general use

    brass and iron swords and spears entered general use
    The akkadian soldiers often used swords, spears, maces, and slings.
  • 1295 BCE

    the khopesh sword was developed

    the khopesh sword was developed
    The khopesh sword was very effective in the egyptian army and in the hands of border tribe. the crescent shape was both frightening and effective at startling the opponent with the different speeds of the parts of the blade.
  • Period: 756 BCE to 450

    roman empire

  • 397 BCE

    the roman army began using catapults

    the roman army began using catapults
  • 375 BCE

    The roman gladius

    The roman gladius
    the romans used the gladius a great deal as a close quarters weapon, they were double edged so that they could be more easily used for hacking and stabbing.
  • 360 BCE

    spears entered roman use

    spears entered roman use
    the romans used spears often for throwing but sometimes to keep enemies away from behind shields.
  • 465

    the franks used throwing axes

    the franks used throwing axes
    the franks, after the fall of the roman empire began experimenting with weaponry and made throwing axes
  • 672

    greek fire was invented

    greek fire was invented
    many flamethrowers and projectile launchers were developed to allow for the greek fire to be used
  • 1200

    the chinese began using crude hand grenades

    the chinese began using crude hand grenades
    the chinese used gunpowder a fuse and lots of metal scrap to make crude genades
  • 1346

    longbows

    longbows
    the english rose to be a major military power based mainly off of the longbow
  • 1400

    halberd entered common use

    halberd entered common use
    the halberd was an axe on the end of a spear, very sharp and could be swung to do great damage

  • cannons were first used

    cannons were first used
    the chinese used cannons for the first time and they revolutionized warfare

  • rifles began to be used

    rifles began to be used
    the first firearms were appearing.

  • bayonets began to be used

    bayonets began to be used
    bayonets were used to allow close distance and long range fighting

  • chemical weapons

    chemical weapons
    chemical weapons were used in world war I

  • first propeller plane that could fire machine guns was made

    first propeller plane that could fire machine guns was made
    an alternating system was set up to allow firing of a gun through the propeller blades

  • the first nuclear bomb was used

    the first nuclear bomb was used
    at hiroshima an atomic bomb was used to kill huge numbers of civilians

  • the first laser weapon was made

    the first laser weapon was made
    The first practical laser weapon, called the Laser Weapon System, was built by the United States Navy and installed on the USS Ponce.