The Defense of Syracuse

Our second example of an ancient siege in progress is especially in-teresting because of the marvelous technological inventions developed by

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Archimedes to withstand the attack of the Romans in 213–211 B.C.E.

(Plutarch Marcellus 14.9–17.3).

The king persuaded Archimedes to build for him machinery for every type of siege, both defensive and offensive. Because he had lived most of his life in peacetime and amid civic affairs, Archimedes had not himself made use of such engines before, but in the present circumstances his apparatus proved especially beneficial to the Syracusans. . . .

When the Romans began their attack from both the land and the sea, the Syracusans were struck dumb with fear, thinking that nothing could hold out against such a powerful assault. But when Archimedes let loose his engines, he launched on the Roman forces missiles of every description and stones of immense mass, which fell with a whiz and speed that one would not believe, mowing down those who stood in their path and throwing the ranks into confusion: nothing could withstand their weight.

As for the Roman navy, yard-arms unexpectedly emerged from the walls, sinking some of the ships by dropping great weights from above, and hoisting others bow-first straight up out of the water in iron claws or beaks shaped like those of cranes, and then plunging them back stern-first. Other ships were turned around and spun about by means of guy ropes and windlasses inside [the city], and then dashed against the steep promontories jutting out just under the wall, causing great loss of life among the crews on board, who were crushed. Again and again some ship would be lifted out of the water up into the air, then whirled back and forth—a horrible sight as it hung there, until its crew fell out and were hurled in all directions and the ship, now empty, would fall onto the walls or slip away once the grip was removed. . . .

After deliberating, the Romans decided to come close up to the walls, under cover of darkness if they were able, thinking that the tension cords Archimedes was using imparted such force that the missiles they dis-charged would fly right over their heads and be thoroughly ineffectual at close quarters, the distance not being right to score a hit. Archimedes, it seems, had long ago prepared for just such an eventuality by making the ranges of his instruments adaptable to any distance and by using compact missiles. There was a line of many small apertures through the wall, which allowed the short-range weapons to be placed so as to hit nearby targets while remaining invisible to the enemy.

So when the Romans came up close, unnoticed as they thought, they again were met by a barrage of missiles that hit their mark: rocks plummeting almost straight down on them, and arrows shot out of the whole line of the wall. So they fell back.

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In the end, Marcellus saw that the Romans had become so terrified that, if a small cord or bit of wood was seen poking slightly over the wall, they would spin around and flee, shouting ‘‘There it is! Archimedes is aiming one of his engines at us!’’ So he discontinued all frontal assaults and set up a protracted siege for the duration.

TRANSPORTATION

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Sailing Season in the Mediterranean

Though the Greeks and Romans both relied heavily on the Mediter-ranean as their principal commercial highway, the small size of their vessels and their rudimentary navigational techniques combined with the common winter storms to limit almost all sailing to the calmer half of the year (Hesiod Works and Days 618–634).

But if you conceive a desire for stormy seafaring, when the Pleiades flee the mighty strength of Orion and dive into the misty sea [late October to early November] is the time when gales blow from all directions. And from that moment no longer keep ships on the wine-dark sea, but think to work the land, as I advise you. Haul your ship out on dry land, surround it with stones to keep out the force of the winds that bring damp, and remove the drain plug so that the rain of heaven may not rot it. Stow all the tackle and fittings in your house, repairing the sail—the wings of a sea-roving ship—and hang the well-shaped steering-oar over the smoke from the hearth. You yourself wait for the proper sailing season to arrive, and then drag your ship to the sea and load a suitable cargo in it.

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The Difficult Voyage of the Apostle Paul

The harrowing experience of St. Paul on his voyage to Rome (Acts 27.13–44) was not an unusual one.

When a light south wind began to blow, [the sailors] thought that they had obtained what they wanted and, raising anchor, they coasted along the shore of Crete. But not long afterwards the northeasterly wind struck us from the shore and, since the ship was caught by the wind and

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could not make way against it, we gave way to it and were carried along.

Running up behind a small island called Cauda, we were able with great difficulty to secure the ship’s boat and, after hoisting it up, they passed cables under the ship to hold it together. Fearing that they might be driven on to the Syrtes, they let down a sea anchor and so were carried along. Since we were being badly tossed about by the storm, the next day the sailors began to jettison the cargo, and on the third day, with their own hands they cast overboard the ship’s tackle. . . .

When the fourteenth night had come and we were being carried along in the Ionian Sea, the sailors suspected that they were nearing land and, casting the sounding-weight, they found 20 fathoms. A short distance along they sounded again, and found 15 fathoms. Afraid that we might run up on some shoals, they let out four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. The sailors lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under the pretence of setting anchors from the bow, but in reality scheming to escape from the ship. But Paul said to the centurion and his soldiers,

‘‘Unless these sailors remain on the ship, we cannot be saved,’’ and the soldiers cut the rope holding the boat, and let it go. We were in all 276 souls on the ship.

When day came they did not recognize the place, but saw a bay with a sandy beach, to which they planned to bring the ship, if they were able.

They cast off the anchors, losing them in the sea, and at the same time untied the lashings that fixed the steering-oars; they spread the sail to the wind and made for the beach. But they struck some shoals and ran the boat up on them; the bow remained stuck fast, and the stern was broken up by the force of the waves. The centurion . . . ordered those who could swim to throw themselves overboard first and head for land, the rest to use planks or some pieces of the ship. And in this way it happened that all came safely to land.

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