03-20-2009, 08:15 PM
Quote:What would the Romans have called their siege walls they used at Numantia and Alesia?Well, they didn't call them circumvallations!
Jespah2000 is correct when he says that Caesar called the siegeworks at Alesia munitiones ("fortifications"). Similarly, Livy refers to the siegeworks at Ambracia as munimenta ("fortifications"), but Caesar refers to his general Caninius Rebilus's works at Uxellodunum both as munitiones ("fortifications") and as opera ("works"). At Corfinium, Caesar refers to the encircling siegeworks both as a circummunitio ("surrounding fortification") and as opera ("works"). Greek authors (like Polybius) refer to erga ("works"),
More often, authors simply name the individual components: the vallum fossaque ("palisade and ditch"), for example, or the agger ac vallum ("palisaded rampart"). At Numantia, Appian refers only to a wall. Hope that helps.
