A historical type of firearm or siege weapon; possibly related to 'bombard' or early cannon.
Uncertain etymology, possibly from Old French or related to 'bellona' (Roman goddess of war) or 'bellum' (war). This is an obsolete military term whose exact meaning is debated by historians.
Medieval weapon names are wonderfully mysterious—'bellon' appears in some old texts but no one's quite sure what it was, making it a reminder that weapon technology evolved so fast that the names were forgotten within centuries.
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