Siege Engine Collection

The Romans (coloured engraving)
3630114 The Romans (coloured engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Romans. Illustration from Bilder aus dem Alterthume (Braun & Schneider, Munich)

Siege scene, c1260, (1843). Artist: Henry Shaw
Siege scene, c1260, (1843). Copy of a manuscript illustration showing a party preparing to attempt the breach which has been made in the tower

Medieval soldiers load a stone throwing Trebuchet
3030262 Medieval soldiers load a stone throwing Trebuchet; Private Collection; (add.info.: Medieval soldiers load a stone throwing Trebuchet from an ancient carving in ivory.); © Don Troiani

An Assyrian army besieging a city (coloured engraving)
3630002 An Assyrian army besieging a city (coloured engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: An Assyrian army besieging a city)

Siege of Massilia (Marseille) by the Romans under Julius Caesar, 49 BC (engraving)
6029376 Siege of Massilia (Marseille) by the Romans under Julius Caesar, 49 BC (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

The death of Simon de Montfort at the Siege of Toulouse, 1218 (engraving)
3647271 The death of Simon de Montfort at the Siege of Toulouse, 1218 (engraving) by Neuville, Alphonse Marie de (1835-85) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Roman siege catapult (coloured engraving)
3630100 Roman siege catapult (coloured engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Roman siege catapult)

Roman catapult (chromolitho)
1094131 Roman catapult (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Roman catapult. Educational card, late 19th or early 20th century)

The Romans (coloured engraving)
3630111 The Romans (coloured engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Romans. Illustration from Bilder aus dem Alterthume (Braun & Schneider, Munich)

Roman Battering Rams, from the Encyclopedie des Sciences et Metiers
STC182335 Roman Battering Rams, from the Encyclopedie des Sciences et Metiers by Denis Diderot (1713-84), published c.1770 (engraving) by French School

An Assyrian army besieging a city (coloured engraving)
3629996 An Assyrian army besieging a city (coloured engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: An Assyrian army besieging a city)

Roman siege catapult (coloured engraving)
3630108 Roman siege catapult (coloured engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Roman siege catapult)

Moveable siege tower, designed after Caesars tower at Namur, 1842. Julius Caesar used siege weapons to capture Namur from the Aduatuci in 57 BC

Moveable siege tower with outer galleries and a battering ram, 1842. Plate from A History of the Development and Customs of Chivalry, by Dr Franz Kottenkamp

Siege catapults, 1842. Artist: Friedrich Martin von Reibisch
Siege catapults, 1842. A mangonel throwing a projectile of Greek fire (left) and a trebuchet (right). Plate from A History of the Development and Customs of Chivalry, by Dr Franz Kottenkamp

Siege weapons, 1842. Artist: Friedrich Martin von Reibisch
Siege weapons, 1842. Ballistae and a trebuchet (right). Plate from A History of the Development and Customs of Chivalry, by Dr Franz Kottenkamp

Tower of Demetrius Poliorcetes during the Siege of Rhodes in 305 BC, (1842). Artist
Tower of Demetrius Poliorcetes during the Siege of Rhodes in 305 BC, (1842). Demetrius, the son of Antigonus I, besieged Rhodes in 305 BC in order to break the islands alliance with Ptolemy I of

Roman centurion conquering the Gauls under Julius Caesar, 1st century BC (1882-1884). Caesar conquered Gaul in the Gallic Wars between 58 and 51 BC

Siege of Marseilles by Julius Caesar, 1882-1884. The city of Marseilles was founded as Massalia in c600 by the Greeks. In Roman times it was an independent city affiliated to Rome

The Emperor Caligula on the shore of Boulogne, 40 AD, (c1920). Artist: A MacKinlay
The Emperor Caligula on the shore of Boulogne, 40 AD, (c1920). Illustration from Story of the British Nation, Volume I, by Walter Hutchinson, (London, c1920s)

The Catapult, c1868. A Roman siege engine attacks the city of Carthage during the siege of 146 BC. Delenda est Carthago (Carthage must be destroyed) is carved into the wood. Hand-coloured later

Mangonel, an engine of war in the 15th century, (1870). A mangonel was a type of catapult or siege engine used to throw projectiles at the walls of a city or castle

Engine for throwing stones, (1870). A wood engraving from a miniature showing a medieval device for launching projectiles, from the Chevalier au Cygne in the Bibliotheque Imperiale, Paris

Siege, c1260, (1843). Artist: Henry Shaw
Siege, c1260, (1843). Copy of a manuscript illustration showing assailants, under cover of a kind of shed which has been moved by wheels up to the walls, undermining the tower

Siege machine, c1260, (1843). Artist: Henry Shaw
Siege machine, c1260, (1843). Copy of a manuscript illustration showing soldiers using a machine to hurl stones at the walls of an enemy stronghold

Roman soldiers using a war engine firing multiple arrows, 1605. Reconstruction from Poliorceticon sive de Machinis Tormentis Telis by Justus Lipsius. (Antwerp, 1605)

Roman soldiers operating a catapult, c1750. Artist: William Henry Toms
Roman soldiers operating a catapult, c1750. A Roman siege engine used for hurling missiles, such as stones at bottom left, at the enemy

Attacking walls with battering rams, c1800. The one mounted on chains could be given more impetus than one carried on mens shoulders

Various forms of siege equipment, including battering rams, 1547. From Architectur...Mathematischen...Kunst by Gaultherius Rivius, 1547

Roman siege warfare, 1605. Defenders attempting to disable battering rams. On the right, attackers are handling a ram under a protective cat. From Poliorceticon by Justus Lipsius (Antwerp, 1605)

Wheeled siege towers and bridges, 13th century (18th century). Siege equipment of the type used by Frederick II of Germany, Holy Roman Emperor, for his successful siege of Jerusalem (1229)

Ashurnasirpal II, King of Assyria, c9th century BC
Ashurnasirpal II, King of Assyria. Ashurnasirpal, king from 883-859 BC, leading an assault on a city with battering rams and siege engines. Bas-relief from the British Museum

A siege tower at The Siege of Athens and Piraeus, 87-86 BC. Siege towers were built to protect attackers and ladders while approaching the defensive walls of a fortification

Battering ram

A mangonel, also called the traction trebuchet

2619053; out of copyright

WEAPONS: MANGONEL. A mangonel siege engine, c13th century. Pen-and-ink drawing, American, c1900

Fresco, Siege engine
Tajik civilization. Mural painting of siege machine

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"The Mighty Siege Engines: A Glimpse into Ancient Warfare" Step back in time and witness the power of siege engines, formidable machines that shaped the outcome of countless battles throughout history. From ancient Assyria to the mighty Roman Empire, these colossal contraptions were instrumental in breaching fortified walls and securing victory. In a vividly colored engraving depicting the Romans, we are transported to an era where warfare was both brutal and strategic. The scene captures the intensity of a siege, as soldiers maneuver massive wooden structures towards their target. Created by Henry Shaw in 1843, this artwork serves as a window into a bygone era. The influence of ancient Assyria is undeniable when it comes to siege warfare. Another colored engraving showcases an Assyrian army besieging a city with meticulous precision. These skilled warriors utilized advanced tactics and innovative machinery to overcome their adversaries' defenses. History takes us further back to Marseille in 49 BC during Julius Caesar's campaign against Gaul. An intriguing engraving illustrates the Roman forces laying siege on Massilia (Marseille), showcasing their relentless determination for conquest. Siege engines were not only instruments of war but also witnessed significant events unfold within their shadow. At the Siege of Toulouse in 1218, Simon de Montfort met his demise amidst fierce fighting. This historical moment is immortalized through an evocative engraving capturing the chaos and tragedy that often accompanied sieges. Amongst these engravings lie depictions of Roman catapults - fearsome weapons capable of launching devastating projectiles over great distances with deadly accuracy. These marvels of engineering played pivotal roles during sieges, wreaking havoc upon enemy fortifications from afar. Battering rams were another indispensable tool employed by ancient armies during sieges. The Encyclopedie des Sciences et Metiers provides us with illustrations showcasing various types used by Romans – powerful symbols representing brute force combined with ingenuity.