La poliorcétique des Romains pendant la guerre des Gaules

Abstract

Siege art (in Greek: poliorketes) was invented at the precise moment when first town was put to an end, because many men and great riches were concentrated there: so, people had to protect it and enemies wanted to loot it. Gauls used to protect themselves in hilltops, forests and swamps. But they also knew how to build military camps and towns. They protected theme by strong walls, by the famous murus gallicus. Julius Caesar and Romans had learnt a very complex science. They used to build walls to protect themselves, with ditch, earth and palisade (fossa-agger-vallum). They invented circumvallation, contravallation, siege ramp (made of wood or stones) and siege towers and many sorts of machines (testudines and towers with wheels).