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

XIII.THE ART OF FORTIFICATION AND SIEGES.Thuctdides' account of the siege of Platfea gives us the first insight into ancientmethods. The art of sieges was less developed than that of fortification.The earliest means of attacking walls was by scaling ladders, or by mountingon a tortoise of shields. Then came walls of circumvallation and contravallation,mounds to override the walls, towers, sheds and- mantelets, rams and enginesto cast heavy missiles and break down the walls, and mines. The moundsand towers were often of extraordinary size. The besieged used conversemeans. They made sorties, shot burning missiles to fire the siege works, builthalf moons behind breaches in the walls, and countermined. The various devicesexhibited great ingenuity.Field fortifications were rare.Prior to thePeloponnesian war the art of attacking citieshad not risen to any great height. Thucyclides' relation ofthe siege of Plataea gives ns the first detailed account of theoperations then usual. Alexander gave to the art a markedimpetus. Of all acts of war sieges allow the military art toapproach most closely to the other arts and sciences ; that is,call for the employment of more ofthe arts which chiefly areof use in peace. The methods of a siege, if the garrison cannotbe starved out, are either to scale the walls or to makebreaches in them which can be carried by assault ; and it isessential to do the latter with as little exposure to the enemy'sfire as possible.The besieged, on the other hand, must seekto destroy the besiegers' means of accomplishing this, and toinflict what loss they can on them as a means of driving themfrom their purpose.The earliestmeans of attacking walls was by scaling-ladders.These were first used at the siege of the Seven against