Elite Siege Warfare in the Roman World 146BC-378AD Osprey Books

Siege warfare has a long pedigree, stretching back to the dawn of civilisation. As soon as people began to build walls around their possessions, others began to devise the means of appropriating those possessions. Sieges played a central role in the many conflicts of the ancient world and many famous generals, including Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar and Trajan successfully used siegecraft to gain their objectives. There are a number of possible ways by which an attacker may capture a fortified position: he can gain entry by crossing over the defences, penetrating through them, or tunnelling under them. If he fails in these, or perhaps lacks the means to attempt them, he may elect to starve the enemy by blockade. The only remaining alternative is to gain access by treachery or trickery. This second of two titles describing the techniques that were used during the sieges of the ancient world, tracks siegecraft developments in the Roman world from 100 BC to AD 378.