The trebuchet was probably invented in China between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. This early form is known as the traction trebuchet, which used manpower to swing the arm. It later spread westward, reaching the Mediterranean region by the 6th century CE. The more well-known counterweight trebuchet appeared later, around the 12th century in Christian and Muslim lands around the Mediterranean.

In summary:

• The traction trebuchet likely originated in China between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE.
• It spread to Eurasia and the Mediterranean by the 6th century CE.
• The counterweight trebuchet emerged later, in the 12th century CE.

This development marks the trebuchet as an ancient Chinese invention that evolved and spread over centuries across different regions.