Siege of Syracuse (214–212 BC)


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For other sieges of Syracuse, see Siege of Syracuse.
Siege of Syracuse
Part of Second Punic War

Date 214 BC - 212 BC
Location Syracuse
Result Roman victory
Belligerents
Roman Republic Syracuse
Commanders
Marcus Claudius Marcellus Archimedes †

Hieron
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The Siege of Syracuse by the Roman Republic took place in 214-212 BC, at the end of which the Magna Graecia Hellenistic city of Syracuse, located on the east coast of Sicily, fell. The Romans stormed the city after a protracted siege giving them control of the entire island of Sicily. During the siege, the city was protected by weapons developed by Archimedes. Archimedes, the great inventor and polymath, was slain at the conclusion of the siege by a Roman soldier, in contravention of the Roman general Marcellus' instructions to spare his life.[1]

Contents

Prelude

Sicily, which was wrested from Carthaginian control during the First Punic War, was the first province of the Roman Republic. The Kingdom of Syracuse was an allied independent region in the south east of the island and a close ally of Rome during the long reign of King Hiero[2]. Hiero's grandson, Hieronymus came to the throne on his grandfathers death and fell under the influence of an anti-Roman faction, including two of his uncles, amongst the Syracusan elite. Despite the assasination of Hieronymus and the removal of the pro-Carthaginian leaders, Rome's threatening reaction to the danger that a Syracusian alliance with Carthage would bring forced the new republican leaders of Syracuse to prepare for war.

Despite diplomatic attempts, war broke out between the Roman Republic and the Kingdom of Syracuse in 214 BC, while the Romans were still busy battling with Carthage at the height of the Second Punic War.

A Roman force led by the General Marcus Claudius Marcellus consequently laid siege to the port city by sea and land. The city of Syracuse, located on the eastern coast of Sicily was reknowned for it's significant fortifications and great walls that protected the city from attack and among the Syracuse defenders was the mathematician and scientist Archimedes. It is often claimed that his presence helped to prolong the Syracusan defence; he organised multiple catapult and ballista fire upon the Roman besiegers. He also designed hooks that lifted the boats out of the sea and, according to legend, engineered mirrors that reflected light to create a sort of ancient "death ray".

Siege

Though the Romans had their own devices and inventions, including the Sambucae, scaling ladders mounted upon the Roman ships and lowered through pulleys attached to their ship's mast onto the huge walls of Syracuse, Archimedes' defensive devices were used to smash the ladders as they touched the walls.

The siege dragged on for many months. The Romans could not keep their blockade tight enough to stop supplies reaching the city. The Carthaginians tried and failed to relieve the city from its Roman besiegers. In 212 BC however while the inhabitants were participating in a festival to their goddess Artemis, the Romans managed to get over the walls and into the outer city. After scaling the walls, the Romans began the onslaught. Marcus Claudius Marcellus had ordered that Archimedes, the well-known mathematician - and possibly equally well-known to Marcellus as the inventor of the mechanical devices that had so dominated the siege - should not be killed. Archimedes, who was now around 78 years of age, continued his studies after the breach by the Romans. While at home, his work was disturbed by a Roman soldier. The soldier, not knowing who he was, killed Archimedes as he protested at the soldiers interuption.

The Romans now controlled the outer city, however the remainder of the population of Syracuse moved to the inner citadel of the city. The Romans besieged this smaller area now, and were more successful in cutting off supplies. After an eight-month siege a Syracusan traitor opened the gates to the Romans who then executed or enslaved most of the city's population; the city was looted and sacked.

Aftermath

The city of Syracuse was now under the influence of Rome again, thus uniting the whole of Sicily as a Roman province. The island would be an important step onto both Africa and Greece in coming Roman conflicts. Syracuse would be an important city for the Roman empire until well into the 5th century, playing both a military and economic part in the creation of the empire; the retaking of Syracuse also ensured that the Carthaginians could not get a foothold in Sicily, which could have led them onto Italy and Rome where they may have been better prepared with suitable siege equipment.

References

  1. ^ Plutarch, "Life of Marcellus", Lives
  2. ^ Livy xxi. 49-51, xxii. 37, xxiii. 21






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