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Siege of Syracuse
Part of Second Punic War
Date 214 BC - 212 BC Location Syracuse Result Roman victory
Combatants
Roman Republic	Syracuse
Commanders
Marcus Claudius Marcellus
Casualties
	Archimedes

Second Punic War
Saguntum – Lilybaeum – Ticinus – Trebia – Cissa – Lake Trasimene – Ebro River – Cannae – 1st Nola – Dertosa – 2nd Nola – Cornus – 3rd Nola – 1st Capua – Silarus – 1st Herdonia – Syracuse – Upper Baetis – 2nd Capua – 2nd Herdonia – Numistro – Asculum – Tarentum – Baecula – Grumentum – Metaurus – Ilipa – Crotona – Utica – Bagbrades – Cirta – Po Valley – Great Plains – Zama

The lead up to the Siege: Events after Cannae (02/08/216BC) showed to the Romans the importance of sieges in ancient warfare. Hannibal found in difficult to capture any cities with extensive fortifications in place including Rome (decpite rumours that he was seen but five miles from the city at one point) his lack of siege equipment was his downfall, however some cities sided with the Carthaginian general amoung these included was the Greek city of Syracuse on the eastern coast of Sicily which rebebled against Roman rule in 213 BC.

Rome moves on Syracuse: A Roman force led by the general Marcus Cladius Marcellus consequently layed siege to the port city by sea and land. Amoung the Syracuse defenders was the elderly mathmatician and scientist Archimedes his presence helped to prolong the Syracusian defence, he organised multiple catapult and Balista fire upon the Roman besiegers. He also designed hooks to try and lift the boats out of the sea!

(the tale of mirrors to reflect light onto the Roman fleet intended to cause fires was actually a myth introduced several centuries later by various historians.) *This myth was tested on the show MythBusters, and proved that mirrors to light fires were not only impractical but virutally impossible for the following reasons: 1. Worked only at a short distance (less than 50 meters) 2. Worked only on stationary targets (Roman ships, however, moved) 3. Took too long to light an object on fire (more than 15 minutes), and most of the trials failed 4. Could not coordinate all the mirrors to focus on one single ship 5. Huge amount of mirrors required

Progression of the siege: However the Romans were not out classed by the genious of Achimedes they had there own devises and inventions includeing the Sambucae (scaleing ladders mounted upon the Roman ships) the Romans used pulleys attached to there ships mast to lower these ladders onto the huge walls of Syracuse however again Greek engineering and experiance proved to much for the Romans whos civilisation was a baby in comparison to that of Greece, Achimedes used his defencive devises to smash the ladders as they touched the walls.

The end of the siege: The siege dragged on for many more months. The Romans could not keep there blockade tight enogh to stop supplies reaching the city. The Carthaginians tried and failed to relive the city from its Roman besiegers. In 212 BC however while the inhabitants were particpating in a festival to there goddess Artemis, the Romans managed to get over the walls and into the outer city, here we can see another differnce between the two culters the Greeks strong love of religion in comparison with the Romans to whom religion was not such a major part of there lives. After scaling the walls the Romans began the onslaught Marcus Cladius Marcellus had grown a respect for the inventions that had stopped him taking the city on so many occasions, he orderred that Archimedes should not be killed, however the Roman soldiers who had had to fight against these defences felt very differenty and Archimedes who was now aged around 78 was killed by a soldier of Rome. The Romans now controlled the outer city however the remainer of the population of Syracuse moved to the inner citidel of the city the Romans biesiged this smaller area now and were a lot more successful in cutting of supplies after an eight month siege a Syracusian traitor opened the gates to the Romans who then executed or enslaved most of the cities population the city was looted and sacked.

The Strategic importance of Syracuse to Rome: The City of Syracuse was now under the influence of Rome again thus uniting the whole of scily as a Roman provence. 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 centry playing both a military and economicaly part in the creation of the empire, the retaking of Syracuse also ensured that the Carthaginians could not get a foothold in Sicilly which could have led them onto Italy and Rome where they may have been better prepared with sutible siege equipment.

See also movie Siege of Syracuse (Assedio di Siracusa, L' (1962)).