Siege Warfare in the Roman World ─ 146 Bcd 378

Osprey's study of various sieges in Rome, from 146 BC to 378 AD. Sieges were often pivotal in Rome’s wars, including its conflicts with the Macedonians and Carthaginians in the 2nd century BC; the civil wars of the Republic; and the late Roman wars against the Sassanid Persians, who, alone amongst Rome’s adversaries, were equally skilled in siegecraft. This book discusses the siege techniques employed by Roman armies and their opponents throughout the Republic and Empire. It shows that although the 1st century AD has long been considered the golden age of siegecraft, followed by a decline, new and effective siege techniques were in fact used in the following centuries.

Dr Duncan B Campbell is a specialist in ancient Greek and Roman warfare. He published his first paper in 1984, as an undergraduate at Glasgow University, and produced a complete re-assessment of Roman siegecraft for his PhD. His work has appeared in several international journals over the years, and he has written several books for Osprey including Elite 121: Ancient Siege Warfare. He lives near the Antonine Wall in Scotland with his wife and son.