Leonardo da Vinci designed a scythed chariot with rotating blades mounted around the wheels. The blades were intended to sweep through opposing troops as the horse-drawn vehicle moved across a battlefield.
Leonardo’s version appears in his studies of military engineering and builds on the ancient idea of the scythed chariot. Ancient Persian armies used related vehicles, so Leonardo was adapting and refining an earlier weapon rather than originating the basic concept. His drawings show the characteristic emphasis on mechanical motion and battlefield effect.
The design was never established as a practical Renaissance weapon. Rotating blades posed dangers to the chariot’s own horses and crew, while uneven terrain could reduce the vehicle’s effectiveness. It is also distinct from Leonardo’s armored fighting vehicle: the scythed chariot relied on speed and blades, whereas the armored vehicle used protective plating and onboard guns.