The relationship between science, technology, and war has a long history. Studies of catapults, for example, have highlighted the important role of science and technology in ancient society and in ancient warfare. The rise of advanced catapults not only attracted the interest and financial support of “governments,” but also combined early studies of geometry, physics, and technology, and led to the rise in the visibility and status of the engineers who worked on them. The medieval period also saw advancements in arms and armor, artillery, fortifications, and warships. Unlike the Roman Empire, which had centralized its arms manufacture, producing standardized weapons, the medieval arms industry, it seems, was made up of a diverse array of artisans forging personalized weapons.