What protective vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci design with a rotating array of blades?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a scythed chariot with rotating blades as a battlefield weapon.

The concept combined a horse-drawn chariot with long blades extending from rotating wheels. As the vehicle moved, the blades were intended to strike opposing soldiers. Leonardo’s drawing belongs to his broader study of military machines, which also included armored vehicles, artillery, bridges, and fortification devices.

The design was inspired by ancient descriptions and images of scythed chariots rather than being a wholly new category of weapon. Ancient Persian and Hellenistic armies had used versions of such chariots, though their battlefield effectiveness was limited.

Leonardo’s version is often mislabeled as a tank because it appears among his armored-machine sketches. A scythed chariot is a different vehicle: it is open, horse-drawn, and designed around blades rather than enclosed armor.