Claw of Archimedes Claw of Archimedes The Claw (, "harpágē", "snatcher") of Archimedes (also known as the "iron hand") was an ancient weapon devised by Archimedes to defend the seaward portion of Syracuse's city wall against amphibious assault. Although its exact nature is unclear, the accounts of ancient historians seem to describe it as a sort of crane equipped with a grappling hook that was able to lift an attacking ship partly out of the water, then either cause the ship to capsize or suddenly drop it. These machines featured prominently during the Second Punic War in 214 BC, when the Roman Republic
Montes Archimedes coordinates of this range is 25.3° N, 4.6° W. The peaks of Montes Archimedes occupy an area with a maximum diameter of 163 km, although the most rugged portion of the terrain is concentrated within the central 70 km. The remainder of the peaks are scattered across the plateau, with no particular structure or pattern. Some of the peaks in this range achieve heights of up to 2.0 km, much less than those in the Montes Apenninus, for example, and none have received specific designations. Montes Archimedes Montes Archimedes is a mountain range on the Moon. It is named after