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Chapters 6–7
Commentary
Chapter 6. Wooden Tripod Barriers
The Anon. Byz. here interposes a solution to the problem of objects
rolled against besiegers, drawing on Ath. Mech. (38:2–9), delaying
Apollod.’s solution until the next chapter. He is apparently in error,
however, in seeing Ath. Mech.’s tr¤bolow and Apollod.’s mbolon as separate
devices; on the error see Lendle, Texte, 134 and n. 149. Blyth,
“Apollodorus,” 152, also concludes that the two devices have the same
function, but suggests that the mbola in the text of Apollod. are “introduced
as something new and more elaborate.”
1–2 tribÒlouw . . . jul¤nouw: Here not the spiked anticavalry weapon
(on which see below, 11:19), but, in the Anon. Byz.’s interpretation of
Ath. Mech., large tripodlike structures to repel heavy objects rolled
downhill. They are so depicted on folio 7v. The noun is found in Ath.
Mech.; the Anon. Byz. adds the adjective. The passages in which the
term is used in various military applications are conveniently collected
by F. Lammert, RE VI:A:2:2413–15.
2 labdara¤aw: The designation “lambda-shaped constructions” is added
by the Anon. Byz. and is found in tenth-century treatises to describe
other military devices. Leo, Taktika XI:26, so describes spear-tipped
m°naula placed against lambda-shaped frames and set around a camp to
prevent cavalry incursions; the passage is paraphrased by Nikephoros
Ouranos, Taktika 65:69–70. On the passages see McGeer, “Tradition,”
134–35, and M. Anastasiadis, “On Handling the Menavlion,” BMGS 18
(1994), 1–10, specifically 2–3. At De cer. 670:12, 671:1–2 labdar°ai are
mentioned, but without description, among the siege equipment for
the Cretan expedition of 949; only four such items are specified in this
list. Reiske, De cer. (I: 670–71), explains “arietes e duobus tignis ad angulum
acutum instar Graeci L commissis suspensos,” but perhaps trebuchets.
See also Du Cange, Glossarium, at lambdara¤a.
Chapter 7. Ditch with Wall and Beak Tortoise
The Anon. Byz. draws here on Apollod. 140:3–141.3. For illustration of
the ditch with fence, the latter labeled passalokop¤a (a term found in
Apollod.’s text at 143:4, tå Ípogegramm°na sxÆmata t∞w tãfrou, t∞w
passalokop¤aw, etc., but oddly not in the Anon. Byz.’s text) see folio
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