War Comes to Archimedes

From Plutarch (Greek, c. 45-120 AD) Parallel Lives: Marcellus --


"The Romans, who had already been informed of the fate which had befallen Hieronymous, the tyrant of Syracuse, appointed . . . Marcus Claudius Marcellus to take charge of the fleet.  . . . The Romans' wicker screens, missiles and other siege apparatus had been made ready beforehand, and they felt confident that with the number of men at their disposal they could within five days bring their preparations to a point which would give them the advantage over the enemy.  But here they failed to reckon with the talents of Archimedes or to foresee that in some cases the genius of one man is far more effective than superiority in numbers. This lesson they now learned by experience."

"The strength of the defenses of Syracuse is due to the fact that the city wall extends in a circle along high ground with steeply overhanging crags, which are by no means easy to climb, except at certain definite points, even if the approach is uncontested.  Accordingly Archimedes had constructed the defenses of the city in such a way - both on the landward side and to repel any attack from the sea - that there was no need for the defenders to busy themselves with improvisations; instead they would have everything ready to hand. . ."

"Archimedes had constructed artillery which could cover a whole variety of ranges, so that while the attacking ships were still at a distance he scored so many hits with his catapults and stone-throwers that he was able to cause them severe damage and harass their approach.  Then, as the distance decreased and these weapons began to carry over the
enemy's heads, he resorted to smaller and smaller machines, and so demoralized the Romans that their advance was brought to a standstill.  In the end Marcellus was reduced in despair to bringing up his ships secretly under cover of darkness.  But when they had almost reached the shore, and were therefore too close to be struck by the catapults, Archimedes had devised yet another weapon to repel the marines, who were fighting from the decks.  He had had the walls pierced with large numbers of loopholes at the height of a man, which were about a palm's breadth wide at the outer surface of the walls.  Behind each of these and inside the walls were stationed archers with rows of so-called 'scorpions', a small catapult which discharged iron darts, and by shooting through these embrasures they put many of the marines out of action."

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