How Did The Onager Affect The Civilization Of Roman Siege Warfare

Arguably the most dominant empire throughout history was the Roman Empire due to their capability of conquering land. Being triumphant during battle required an effective strategy. Romans mastered taking land during siege warfare. However, there were many moving pieces that were involved during a siege. In order for one to gain a full understanding of Roman siege warfare, one must gain knowledge about the tactics utilized, artillery used, and the siege engines crafted during the attack. (83) When having a settlement under siege, the Romans employed various strategies trying to crack it open. The first option was to suggest a surrender to the defendants. The Romans would capture the city while suffering no casualties in the conquest.

The onager got its name meaning wild ass since its kick was so tremendous. The onager is a variant of a mangonel which falls under the category of catapult. It is very similar to a catapult in the sense of its appearance and operation. However, there are some slight differences between a typical catapult and an onager. The onager used a hook with a pouch that would carry a boulder compared to the catapult which used the spoon mechanism. The reason the Romans preferred the hook and pouch was because it was more accurate than the spoon (Dugdale-Pointon). The onager had an elevated crossbeam that would operate as a stopping point. A swing arm was placed in a bundle of rope that would be winched down until it reached a slip hook. The hook would then be released, and the arm would fling forward until stopped by the crossbeam. Once the arm hit the crossbeam, the projectile was released at target (Nickel). These fast moving stones would be able to knock down walls to allow the Roman soldiers to move into the fortifications. Thus making the onager a staple into Roman tactics when assaulting a defense.

Although the battering ram was around long before the Romans used it, it was still efficient. A battering ram is a vast beam of wood that had iron on the end shaped like a rams head; hence, where it got its name. The actual ram was usually inside a protective shell to protect the soldiers operating it. The ram would be supported by rope by which it was slung into the wall or gate. Refer to figure 2 to see what a typical battering looked liked. One siege where a battering ram was notorious was during the siege of Jerusalem. General Titus of the Romans had laid siege to the Jews during the Jewish-Roman war. In order to breach the city, Titus decided to construct a massive battering ram named Joseph. Titus had Joseph pummel the walls of the city day after day (“The Battering Ram”).