Leonardo da Vinci’s four-wheeled blade weapon was a scythed chariot. His design placed rotating blades or scythes around the wheels so that a moving vehicle could threaten troops nearby.
The concept drew on ancient military history. Scythed chariots were used in the ancient Near East and are especially associated with Persian armies, including the forces of Darius III. Leonardo revisited the idea with Renaissance mechanical drawing and attempted to analyze how a powered or horse-drawn vehicle might deploy the blades.
Leonardo’s version is sometimes presented as a revolutionary invention, but the basic weapon type was ancient. His contribution was a new design study rather than proof of a successful battlefield machine. The practical dangers included controlling the vehicle, protecting its own crew, and preventing the blades from becoming a liability.
It is also distinct from Leonardo’s armored vehicle. The armored vehicle emphasized crew protection and cannon fire, while the scythed chariot emphasized close-range damage from moving blades. Both designs reveal Leonardo’s interest in combining mobility with mechanical weapon systems.