In antiquity, the catapelta was an instrument of punishment. It consisted of a type of press, composed of planks, between which the criminal was crushed.
One notable work in which the catapelta is mentioned is 4 Maccabees. This book is concerned with the torture and martyring of several individuals. The catapelta is used on the fifth brother.
The five books of Maccabees are in the common domain and can be obtained from Googlebooks here.
This article incorporates content from the 1728 Cyclopaedia, a publication in the public domain.