Osprey Elite 121 : Ancient Siege Warfare : Persians, Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans 546-146 BC

Sieges played a central role in many conflicts of the ancient world and commanders, including Darius, Alexander the Great, Hannibal and Scipio Africanus successfully used siegecraft to gain their objectives. As siege tactics became integral to success in war, commanders employed the minds of engineers and scientists to develop tactics which ranged from penetrating the defences, blockading the city to tricks and deception. This book tracks developments in siege warfare from Ancient Persia in the 6th century BC through to the Roman sieges of the second century BC, describing the range of equipment and techniques which evolved during this period. Text by Duncan B Campbell with illustrations by Adam Hook.

Contents

• Introduction
• Siege Warfare of the Achaemenid Persians
• Siege Warfare in Classical Greece
• Siege Warfare in the Time of Dionysius I
• Macedonian Siege Warfare
• Hellenistic Siege Warfare
• Siege Warfare during the Roman Republic
• Epilogue
• Further Reading
• Plate Commentary