A siege hook is a weapon used to pull stones from a
wall
A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or serves a decorative purpose. There are various types of walls, including border barriers between countries, brick wal ...
during a
siege
A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...
. The method used was to penetrate the protective wall with the hook and then retract it, pulling away some of the wall with it.
The Greek historian
Polybius
Polybius (; , ; ) was a Greek historian of the middle Hellenistic period. He is noted for his work , a universal history documenting the rise of Rome in the Mediterranean in the third and second centuries BC. It covered the period of 264–146 ...
, in his ''
Histories'', mentions the use of such weapons at the Roman siege of
Ambracia:
See also
References
Siege equipment
Ancient Roman siege warfare
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