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Scaling defended walls
#1
Ave Civitas,

I have a technical-tactial question about scaling defended walls. If there were a force of Romans trying to scale a wall, and there were defenders up on the top of the wall that were trying to prevent it (with rocks, maces, axes, etc) how do the scaling soldiers climb the wall, protect their heads, and strike at the enemy.

It would seem as if they needed three arms, one to hold on to the ladder, one to hold up the shield, and then a third for the sword or spear.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Tom
AKA Tom Chelmowski

Historiae Eruditere (if that is proper Latin)
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#2
Historical accounts have the Romans:
Building ramps
Building Towers and attacking downwards
Knocking down walls with artillery
Undermining and collapsing walls

Scaling walls while archers slingers and artillery keeps the defender's heads down.
John Kaler MSG, USA Retired
Member Legio V (Tenn, USA)
Staff Member Ludus Militus https://www.facebook.com/groups/671041919589478/
Owner Vicus and Village: https://www.facebook.com/groups/361968853851510/
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#3
Quote:It would seem as if they needed three arms, one to hold on to the ladder, one to hold up the shield, and then a third for the sword or spear.
The shield is slung on your back, your sword is sheathed (perhaps knife beten your teeth, as Hollywood liked to show it's pirates, arrr!), no spears indeed. And hope for the best.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#4
[attachment=2704]tomb_sulpicius_celsus_standards_cm1.JPG[/attachment]
Tomb of Sulpicius Celsus with a mural crown
I t was so dangerous to scale defended walls that the roman's had a special award for being the first on the top (IF YOU LIVED)


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John Kaler MSG, USA Retired
Member Legio V (Tenn, USA)
Staff Member Ludus Militus https://www.facebook.com/groups/671041919589478/
Owner Vicus and Village: https://www.facebook.com/groups/361968853851510/
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#5
Quote:I have a technical-tactial question about scaling defended walls.
Much more sensible to pick an undefended one. :wink:
posted by Duncan B Campbell
https://ninth-legion.blogspot.com/
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#6
The first thing to do was to make sure your ladders were long enough. Ammianus gives some tips on how to do this: measuring the shadow cast by the walls, I think, is one - itself quite a hazardous activity, I would imagine!

Neglect in this matter could be fatal - Panegyric VI (310) describes Constantine's assault on the walls of Massilia, held by the usurping ex-Augustus Maximian. In their haste, Constantine's men made their ladders too short, but still went ahead with the assault, climbing onto each other's shoulders to try and reach the parapet from the top of the ladders. Casualties were heavy, and Constantine called off the assault - the panegyricist tries to turn this episode of incompetence into a glorious example of the ardour of the troops, of course!

Storming fortifications by direct assault, rather than by massive siegeworks, seems to have been the mark of an impetuous commander, or one in a hurry. Another Panegyric (XIII) describes Constantine (again) attacking Susa:

"not... with pallisades and trenches, the walls were not assaulted and shaken by digging mines or bringing up machines or battering with the ram, but torches were applied at once to the gates and ladders to the ramparts, and (the) men fought not with slings and weapons hurled from a distance, but with spears and swords."
Nathan Ross
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#7
Quote:Storming fortifications by direct assault, rather than by massive siegeworks, seems to have been the mark of an impetuous commander, or one in a hurry.
Or a true, blood'n'guts Roman!

You aren't the first to assume that all Romans were sensible siegework-builders. See here for my criticism of a book that makes the same assumption.

Now, let's get the ladders out! (Whaddaya mean they might be too short?)
posted by Duncan B Campbell
https://ninth-legion.blogspot.com/
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#8
Quote:Or a true, blood'n'guts Roman!
Yes! I didn't mean that impetuosity and hurry were necessarily UnRoman - Constantine's celeritas is compared to that of Caesar. The implication of the panegyric, I think, is that another, less daring, commander might have chosen to besiege Susa, whereas Constantine just rushed the place. In fact he probably needed to get his force across the Alps before Maxentius had a chance to reinforce his army on the Lombard plain.

In the case of Massilia, there were possibly political reasons (which, obviously, aren't registered in the panegyric!) why Constantine couldn't wait out a lengthy siege or blockade.
Nathan Ross
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