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How did culverins differ from early cannons used to batter fortress walls?

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Culverins differed from the cannons specifically designed for battering fortress walls primarily in their construction, bore length, and intended tactical use.

Bore Length: Culverins were classified as "long" guns, typically featuring barrels with bores of 30 calibres or more. In contrast, cannons—often referred to as "cannons-of-battery"—were designed with shorter barrels, typically ranging from 20 to 25 calibres.1
Construction and Purpose: The culverin was characterized by a relatively light construction and was designed to fire lighter projectiles (approximately 8–16 pounds) along a flat trajectory over long ranges. Conversely, the cannon-of-battery was specifically engineered for the heavy work of breaching or "battering down" fortress walls.21
Evolution: While early siege artillery like large bombards were used to devastating effect against medieval curtain walls, the 16th-century classification system helped distinguish these specialized roles. By the 17th century, as artillery classification shifted toward projectile weight, the specific term "culverin" eventually became obsolete.312