The Earliest Sieges in History (and How they Worked)
TLDRThe video script delves into the history of siege warfare, highlighting the significance of the Arch of Titus in Rome as a commemoration of the conquest of Jerusalem in 70 AD. It explores the evolution of siege tactics from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages, emphasizing the importance of sieges in shaping warfare during the Bronze Age. The earliest sieges are traced back to the city-state of Mari in modern-day Syria, with depictions from 2550 to 2400 BC. The script discusses the five basic methods of siege warfare: scaling walls, breaching, undermining, surrounding, and psychological warfare. It also describes the development of siege equipment, such as ladders, siege towers, and battering rams, and the use of slings and bows for long-range attacks. The narrative touches on the legendary Trojan Horse and the strategic use of deception in sieges. Finally, it outlines how the Assyrian Empire and Egypt advanced siege technology, laying the groundwork for future innovations in warfare.
Takeaways
- 🏛️ The Arch of Titus in Rome commemorates Emperor Titus's conquest of Jerusalem in 70 AD, signifying the importance of sieges in history.
- 🏰 Sieges have been a significant part of human history, featuring in myths, stories, and collective memory across various cultures.
- 🕵️♂️ According to historians, no other military encounter comes as close to a total war experience as the siege of a major city.
- 🏡 The need for protection led to the construction of fortifications, which in turn led to the development of siege tactics and equipment.
- 🧱 Early fortifications like those in Jericho from the 8th millennium BC show the evolution of defensive structures over time.
- 🤺 A siege is characterized by five features: importance, fighting over an object, separation of attacker and defender, attacking a boundary, and defense.
- 🕰️ The earliest traces of sieges can be found in the Bronze Age, with significant developments in siege technology during this period.
- 🛠️ Attackers had five basic methods to overcome fortifications: scaling walls, breaching, undermining, surrounding, or using a strategy of war.
- 🏙️ The city-state of Mari provides one of the earliest tangible depictions of a siege, with a stone slab from 2550 to 2400 BC showing a siege scene.
- 🏺 The invention of the composite bow in the Bronze Age increased the range and effectiveness of archers, making them a crucial part of siege warfare.
- 🚂 Siege ramps and towers were used to overcome city walls, with the former being a reliable but costly method, and the latter providing a platform for ranged attackers.
- 🔨 Siege engines like battering rams and siege poles were used to physically damage walls, with evidence of their use dating back to 2300 BC in Mesopotamia.
Q & A
What is the Arch of Titus known for?
-The Arch of Titus is known for commemorating one of the greatest triumphs of the Roman Emperor Titus, which was the conquest of Jerusalem in the year 70 AD.
Why are sieges significant in history and culture?
-Sieges are significant in history and culture because they are among the most memorable events and hold a special place in stories, myths, and collective memory due to their intensity and the total war experience they represent.
What are the five features that characterize a siege according to historian Peter Wilson?
-The five features that characterize a siege are: 1) a conflict of sufficient importance to be considered an isolated event, 2) parties involved must fight over an object such as a city, 3) the attacker is separated from the defender by a boundary, 4) one party must attack this boundary while the other defends it, and 5) the defender aims to stall the attacker until help arrives or until they run out of resources.
What is one of the earliest tangible depictions of a siege?
-One of the earliest tangible depictions of a siege is a small stone slab found in the ruins of Mari, created between 2550 and 2400 BC, which shows a soldier in typical Samaran armor holding a large curved shield and an archer aiming at the enemy from behind the shield.
What were the five basic methods available to an attacker to overcome fortifications from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages?
-The five basic methods available to an attacker were to scale the wall, breach it, undermine it, surround the city or fortress, or use a strategy of war.
What does the archaeological evidence from the ancient city of Hamar in northeastern Syria suggest?
-The archaeological evidence from Hamar, including large quantities of air-dried clay bullets dating to 3500 BC and widespread signs of destruction, suggest that it might be the site of the first siege in history.
What were the predominant forms of conflict in Mesopotamia during the Bronze Age?
-According to historian Aaron Burke, sieges were the predominant form of conflict in Mesopotamia during the Bronze Age, with numerous references to sieges in the sources.
What was the typical construction of fortifications in the Bronze Age?
-Typical fortifications in the Bronze Age consisted of air-dried mud bricks resting on a quarry stone or rammed earth foundation, with rectangular towers at regular intervals. Most cities were further fortified with a ditch and a glacis, making it challenging to approach the wall.
How did the invention of the composite bow impact warfare during the Bronze Age?
-The invention of the composite bow made warfare more efficient during the Bronze Age, as it allowed a good archer to shoot at defenders on their rampart from over 200 meters away and directly into the city from about 40 meters.
What is the significance of the Trojan Horse in the context of siege warfare?
-The Trojan Horse, although a mythological story, signifies the use of cunning and strategic deception in siege warfare. It illustrates the idea of using a strategem to outsmart defenders and gain access to a city under siege.
How did defenders actively push back during a siege?
-Defenders actively pushed back during a siege by launching sorties, which involved sneaking out of the fortress to surprise and attack the workers, siege engines, or camps of the attackers. They also reinforced walls and used archers and slingers to keep the enemy at a distance.
Outlines
🏛️ The Arch of Titus and the Significance of Sieges
The Arch of Titus stands at the eastern end of the Roman Forum, commemorating Emperor Titus's conquest of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The video discusses the historical and cultural significance of sieges, which are among the most memorable events in history and mythology. The script explores the origins of sieges, their evolution, and the equipment used from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. It introduces Babel, a language learning platform that helps with real-life conversations, which the speaker found useful during visits to France.
🏺 Early Fortifications and the Birth of Sieges
The concept of sieges began with the advent of permanent settlements and the need to protect them, leading to the construction of fortifications like those at Jericho in the 8th millennium BC. The text explores the first recorded sieges, such as the city-state of Mari, depicted on a stone slab from 2550 to 2400 BC, and the discovery of clay bullets in Hamar, Syria, suggesting an early siege around 3500 BC. Sieges were a predominant form of conflict in Mesopotamia during the Bronze Age, with numerous references in texts like the Mari archives and Egyptian tomb paintings.
🛡️ Siege Techniques and Equipment in the Bronze Age
The paragraph details the five basic methods used to overcome fortifications from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages: scaling the wall, breaching, undermining, surrounding, and using a strategy of war. It discusses the use of ladders, mining, siege ramps, and the importance of archers and slingers in providing cover during sieges. The text also describes the construction of siege ramps, the use of composite bows for increased range, and the discovery of clay balls that may have been used as ammunition.
🏺 Siege Machines and Deception Tactics in Ancient Warfare
This section covers the development of siege machines like siege towers and battering rams, and the use of cunning strategies such as the Trojan Horse. It discusses the importance of slings and bows in sieges due to the lack of catapults, and the defensive measures taken by those under siege, including sorties and reinforcing walls. The narrative also touches on hand-to-hand combat if attackers breached the walls, and how the siege warfare evolved over time, with Egypt and the Neo-Assyrian Empire developing more efficient tactics and powerful siege weapons.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Arch of Titus
💡Siege
💡Fortifications
💡Battering Ram
💡Composite Bow
💡Siege Ramp
💡Undermining
💡Slingers
💡Trojan Horse
💡Neo-Assyrian Empire
💡Historical Significance
Highlights
The Arch of Titus commemorates the Roman Emperor Titus' conquest of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Sieges have a significant place in history, myths, and collective memory, such as the conquest of Jericho and Troy.
Historians note that no other military encounter is as close to a total war experience as a siege of a major city.
The first sieges likely occurred as communities began to build fortifications during the Neolithic period.
Early fortifications, such as those at Jericho and Çatal Hüyük, were built to protect settlements.
A siege is characterized by five features, including the conflict's importance and the battle over a fortified place.
Mari, an ancient city-state in Syria, provides one of the earliest tangible depictions of a siege, dating back to 2550-2400 BC.
Archaeological evidence suggests the first siege in history may have occurred at the ancient city of Hamar in Syria around 3500 BC.
Sieges were the predominant form of conflict in Mesopotamia during the Bronze Age.
Ancient siege technology included scaling walls, breaching, undermining, surrounding, and psychological warfare.
The siege of Atusa showcases the typical fortifications of the early and middle Bronze Age, with double walls and rectangular towers.
Battering rams and siege towers were among the siege engines used in the Bronze Age to overcome fortifications.
The Trojan Horse, while mythological, represents the use of strategems in siege warfare.
Defenders during sieges would use postern gates for surprise attacks and reinforce walls to withstand attacks.
Hand-to-hand combat with weapons such as javelins, spears, and daggers often decided the outcome of a siege once the walls were breached.
The development of more efficient tactics and powerful siege weapons, such as the composite bow and battering ram, revolutionized siege warfare.
The armies of Egypt and the Neo-Assyrian Empire were notable for their advancements in siege warfare and the construction of formidable siege engines.
Transcripts
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