pyrobolus

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Byzantine Greek πυροβόλος (purobólos, “flamethrower; cannon”),[1] from πῦρ (pûr, “fire”) + βόλος (bólos, “thrower”). Attested in Medieval Latin in Peter Damian (11th century) in reference to certain fiery rocks.

Noun

pyrobolus m (genitive pyrobolī); second declension (New Latin)

  1. cannon
    Synonym: tormentum
    • 1550, Antonio Mizauld, Aesculapii et Uraniae Medicum […], page 4:
      Quam rem dum visum erit, experiundo condiscetis, excusso à pyrobolo de ipso lapide igni: qui profectò tam acer est, vt aridis exceptus fomentis, populosam vrbem, ac vastissimam syluam leuiter incendere possit, & in cineres illico conuertere.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  2. bomb, shell
    Synonym: bombus
    • 1719, Johannes Knippenbergh, “Continuatio Historiæ Ecclesiasticæ Ducatus Geldriæ Ab Anno MDCCI usque ad Annum MDCCXXV”, in Historia Ecclesiastica Ducatus Geldriæ […], page 5:
      […] inter tormentorum globos interludebant alii missiles ignes, bombæ nempe, ac pyroboli ex mortariis minoribus (haubitzen vocant, recens inventum) ejaculati, eo igne Conventus Monialium Annuntiatarum in Cedron, aliæque domus portæ tiegelensi vicinæ ardebant; […]
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Second-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative pyrobolus pyrobolī
Genitive pyrobolī pyrobolōrum
Dative pyrobolō pyrobolīs
Accusative pyrobolum pyrobolōs
Ablative pyrobolō pyrobolīs
Vocative pyrobole pyrobolī

Derived terms

References
  1. Cf. στρεπτῶν ἐγχειριδίων πυροβόλων, “swivel-tube handheld flamethrowers” in Hero of Byzantium (c. 10th century), Parangelmata Poliorcetica 49.20, and the comments in Denis F. Sullivan (2000) Siegecraft: Two Tenth-century Instructional Manuals by “Heron of Byzantium” (Dumbarton Oaks Studies), page 231.
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