| A siege is an assault against a city or fortress | | | | oil, and arrows. It was also common for besiegers |
| with the purpose of capturing it. The history of | | | | to build a wall (circumvallation) around their |
| siege-craft parallels the development of | | | | objective to prevent sorties (columns of troops |
| fortification systems for protection from enemy | | | | from a fort to stop the sieges) and a second wall |
| attacks. Both siege and fortification technology | | | | (contravallation) around their own army as |
| continually developed and eventually the use of | | | | security against relieving forces. |
| the catapult became extinct. | | | | Siege Evolution |
| Early Siege | | | | Just as the catapult was becoming a formidable |
| In early times battering rams and bores were | | | | sieging weapon gun power was discovered. |
| employed to break down the walls and gates of a | | | | Cannons mortar and other artillery soon because |
| fortified place. This tactic was used if deception, | | | | the favoured and more usable choice of |
| treachery, or starvation was unsuccessful. To | | | | weaponry for sieging. Artillery that could breach |
| protect the sieges from missiles, hot oil, and other | | | | high walls made it necessary to lower and extend |
| incendiaries launched by the defenders, a shelter | | | | medieval fortifications and mount defensive |
| was constructed. This was usually built from huge | | | | artillery. Many sieges became artillery duels. The |
| wicker shields covered with wood or hide | | | | development of tanks, aircraft, and missiles in the |
| (mantelets). Rams, mounds and movable wooden | | | | 20th century gave the besieger a great |
| towers were built by both besieger and besieged | | | | advantage in firepower and mobility. Now-days |
| in a race to attain heights from which the | | | | sieging has become a much quicker, explosive and |
| adversary could be assaulted. Engines of war, | | | | destructive procedure. Making the slow and |
| such as the catapult were brought into play by | | | | sluggish nature of the catapult a relic of the past. |
| both sides to hurl stones, spears, pots of flaming | | | | |