Siege of Syracuse (213–212 BC)

BelligerentsRoman RepublicSyracuse
CarthageCommanders and leadersMarcus Claudius Marcellus
Appius Claudius PulcherEpicydes
Hippocrates †
Himilco#
BomilcarStrength 16,000–18,000 21,000–25,000Casualties and losses Heavy 5,000+ (plus "large" amount of civilians)

The siege of Syracuse by the Roman Republic took place in 213–212 BC. The Romans successfully stormed the Hellenistic city of Syracuse after a protracted siege, giving them control of the entire island of Sicily. During the siege, the city was protected by weapons developed by the prominent inventor and polymathArchimedes, who was slain at the conclusion of the siege by a Roman soldier, in contravention of the Roman proconsulMarcellus's instructions to spare his life.