Siege equipment

[Jugibar]

Hello guys,

I finally finished reading Duncan Campbell's Besieged and there was a few things that came to my mind.

To start off, I am wondering how it was so easy for ancient armies to build their siege equipment right off the spot without bringing any on campaign trips. In 424 BC, Athenian troops were able to build a wall and ditch around Nisaea to force a surrender of the Megarians garrisoned there. During his siege of Perinthus in 340 BC, Phillip was able to build 37 meter long siege towers. At Thebes in 335 BC, it only took Alexander three days to put together the siege machinery there. I'm guessing that it was economical to forage for siege equipment since it was cheap but I would definitely like confirmation of this.

Another thing I'd like to learn more about is Persian siege abilities. Duncan points out that they were very capable of sieging other cities as evidenced by Sardis, Phocaea, and Palaepaphos. Is there any more archaeological research about the Persian siege abilities? Did they use the battering ram, and if so how was it employed? If not, how was the battering ram usually employed by those who did use it?

Lastly, regarding the defense of cities. Diodorus 13.55.6-7 notes how a Carthaginian general had easily picked off archers and slingers who had manned the walls at Selinus. How many men were usually employed on the walls defending a city compared to those who were in the city? Did ammunition resupply ever become a problem for slingers, archers and catapults during a siege events?

Thanks for any feedback,

Matt

[M. Demetrius]

Lumber was free in the forest for the taking. And Romans had substantial labor from the soldiers, and engineers/carpenters/lumbermen who knew how to go from tree to plank to tower pretty quickly. Manpower was key. They only had to bring the tools along with them, not the finished wood pieces.

Remember how quickly Julius Caesar's legions built a bridge across the flooded Rhine? It was just what they did, and they were good at it.

[Jugibar]

Thanks for the reply.

Lumber was free in the forest for the taking.

Was the supply of lumber ever limited? When I read Pliny's account, as well as Vitruvius', they were very picky on which wood was the best to use in constructing certain material. Even better, do we have any figure on the timber supply in Republican Rome?

and engineers/carpenters/lumbermen who knew how to go from tree to plank to tower pretty quickly.

Were these kind of troops given any special role in the army? For example there were the contubernium who set up camps in the Roman army, 8 per maniple IIRC. Were they combatants or camp followers? Do we have any figure on their size?

Thanks again, Matt

[Jugibar]

Going back to the two other points...

Another thing I'd like to learn more about is Persian siege abilities. Duncan points out that they were very capable of sieging other cities as evidenced by Sardis, Phocaea, and Palaepaphos. Is there any more archaeological research about the Persian siege abilities? Did they use the battering ram, and if so how was it employed? If not, how was the battering ram usually employed by those who did use it?

Lastly, regarding the defense of cities. Diodorus 13.55.6-7 notes how a Carthaginian general had easily picked off archers and slingers who had manned the walls at Selinus. How many men were usually employed on the walls defending a city compared to those who were in the city? Did ammunition resupply ever become a problem for slingers, archers and catapults during a siege events?