What battlefield vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci design with blades on its wheels?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a scythed chariot, a battlefield vehicle fitted with blades extending from its wheels.

The concept drew on ancient descriptions of scythed chariots, especially accounts associated with Persian warfare. Leonardo’s version was intended to move through enemy formations while the rotating or wheel-mounted blades threatened soldiers nearby. His drawing shows a horse-drawn vehicle with long curved blades projecting outward.

Leonardo did not invent the general idea of a scythed chariot; ancient armies had been associated with similar weapons centuries earlier. His contribution was a Renaissance redesign recorded among his military engineering studies.

The vehicle is sometimes mistaken for Leonardo’s armored vehicle, often called his tank. The tank concept used a conical armored body, whereas the scythed chariot relied on exposed blades and battlefield momentum.