Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

74 SIEGE OPERATIONS.or sometimes stone. The Spartans, in 429 B. C, surroundedPlataea with a double wall of intricate construction and greatstrength, which will be described elsewhere. But works wererarely so elaborate.The Greek cities were generally provided with thick andhigh stone walls, the idea of which they borrowed from theEast. On these walls, at the angles, or at arrow-shot distance,stood stone towers. Along the top of the wall ran aroad, protected outwardly by overhanging battlements, socastellated and perforated that the foot of the fortificationsand the surrounding country could be reached by missiles.wide and deep, dry or wet moat lay outside. Inside wereone or more citadels in the places most capable of defense,and similarly but more stoutly fortified. In Athens such wasthe Acropolis ; in Thebes, the Cadmaea.The Greeks took fortified cities by ruse whenever possible.If storm was resorted to, the light troops drove the defendersfrom the walls with their missiles, while picked heavy troopsmounted the walls by ladders, or on the upraised and interlockedshields of the rest (this was called a testudo or tortoise),or broke into the gates. They blockaded cities byA