05-19-2004, 02:15 PM
Hi.<br>
<br>
I read through book IV of Tacitus Hitories today and I have a question now. In chapter 30 he writes the following:<br>
<br>
"The Batavians had raised a tower two stories high, which they brought up to the Praetorian gate of the camp, where the ground was most level. But our men, pushing forward strong poles, and battering it with beams, broke it down, causing great destruction among the combatants on the top. The enemy were attacked in their confusion by a sudden and successful sally. All this time many engines were constructed by the legionaries, who were superior to the enemy in experience and skill. Peculiar consternation was caused by a machine, which, being poised in the air over the heads of the enemy, suddenly descended, and carried up one or more of them past the faces of their friends, and then, by a shifting of the weights, projected them within the limits of the camp. Civilis, giving up all hope of a successful assault, again sat down to blockade the camp at his leisure, and undermined the fidelity of the legions by the promises of his emissaries."<br>
<br>
<br>
Now I wondered about this machine. It sounds like some kind of crane but I'm having problems to imagine how it might have looked like or how it worked. I don't remember ever reading about a machine like that used in combat so I thought I'd ask the experts, right? So does anyone have an idea or source where I might find out a bit more about this machine? thank you. <p></p><i></i>
<br>
I read through book IV of Tacitus Hitories today and I have a question now. In chapter 30 he writes the following:<br>
<br>
"The Batavians had raised a tower two stories high, which they brought up to the Praetorian gate of the camp, where the ground was most level. But our men, pushing forward strong poles, and battering it with beams, broke it down, causing great destruction among the combatants on the top. The enemy were attacked in their confusion by a sudden and successful sally. All this time many engines were constructed by the legionaries, who were superior to the enemy in experience and skill. Peculiar consternation was caused by a machine, which, being poised in the air over the heads of the enemy, suddenly descended, and carried up one or more of them past the faces of their friends, and then, by a shifting of the weights, projected them within the limits of the camp. Civilis, giving up all hope of a successful assault, again sat down to blockade the camp at his leisure, and undermined the fidelity of the legions by the promises of his emissaries."<br>
<br>
<br>
Now I wondered about this machine. It sounds like some kind of crane but I'm having problems to imagine how it might have looked like or how it worked. I don't remember ever reading about a machine like that used in combat so I thought I'd ask the experts, right? So does anyone have an idea or source where I might find out a bit more about this machine? thank you. <p></p><i></i>