Helepolis
Helepolis (Taker of Cities) | |
---|---|
Type | Siege tower |
Place of origin | Ancient Greece |
Production history | |
Designer | Polyidus of Thessaly |
Specifications | |
Mass | 160 short tons (150 t; 140 long tons) |
Width | 65 ft (20 m) |
Height | 130 ft (40 m) |
Crew | 3,400 |
Armor | Iron plates |
Main armament | 2× 180 lb (82 kg) catapults 4× 60 lb (27 kg) catapults 10× 30 lb (14 kg) catapults |
Secondary armament | 4× dart throwers |
Helepolis (Greek: ἑλέπολις, meaning: "Taker of Cities") is the Greek name for a movable siege tower.
The most famous was that invented by
Description
The Helepolis was essentially a large tapered tower, with each side about 130 ft (40 m) high, and 65 ft (20 m) wide that was manually pushed into battle. It rested on eight wheels, each 15 feet (5 m) high and also had casters, to allow lateral movement as well as direct. The three exposed sides were rendered fireproof with iron plates, and stories divided the interior, connected by two broad flights of stairs, one for ascent and one for descent. The machine weighed 160 short tons (150 t; 140 long tons), and required 3,400 men working in relays to move it, 200 turning a large capstan driving the wheels via a belt, and the rest pushing from behind. The casters permitted lateral movement, so the entire apparatus could be steered towards the desired attack point, while always keeping the siege engines inside aimed at the walls, and the protective body of the machine directly between the city walls and the men pushing behind it.
The Helepolis bore a fearsome complement of heavy armaments, with two 180 lb (82 kg) catapults, and one 60 lb (27 kg) (classified by the weight of the projectiles they threw) on the first floor, three 60 lb (27 kg) catapults on the second, and two 30 lb (14 kg) on each of the next five floors. Apertures, shielded by mechanically adjustable shutters, lined with skins stuffed with wool and seaweed to render them fireproof, perforated the forward wall of the tower for firing the missile weapons. On each of the top two floors, soldiers could use two light dart throwers to easily clear the walls of defenders.
Siege of Rhodes
As the Helepolis was pushed towards the city, the Rhodians managed to dislodge some of the metal plates, and Demetrius ordered it withdrawn from battle to protect it from being burned. Following the failure of the siege, the Helepolis along with the other siege engines were abandoned, and the people of Rhodes melted down their metal plating and sold abandoned weapons, using the materials and money to build a statue of their patron god, Helios, the Colossus of Rhodes, which became known as one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World.[2]
Later use
Demetrius again used a similar machine in 292 BC against the
In subsequent ages, siege engineers continued to use the name helepolis for moving towers which carried
See also
References
- Connolly, Peter. Greece and Rome at War. London: Greenhill Books, 1998.
- Warry, John. Warfare in the Classical World. Salamanda Books.
- Campbell, Duncan B. Greek and Roman Siege Machinery 399 BC-AD 363. Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-84176-605-4
External links
- Dennis, George T. (1998). "Byzantine Heavy Artillery: The Helepolis". Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies v.39. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
- Helepolis at LacusCurtius
- Ancient Greek war machines: The Helepolis, a fortified wheeled tower