Medieval Georgian Poliorcetica
Medieval Georgian Poliorcetica

Summary/Abstract: In the medieval art of war siege constituted one of the principal forms of fight. Severalbasic techniques were used in taking a stronghold, such as assaulting the walls of the fortress,breaching the wall, digging a subterranean tunnel under the wall and enfeeblement of thegarrison by lengthy siege.Bearing in mind various data, in the Middle Ages Georgians used the followingtechnical means to capture fortresses: assault ladders, battering rams and other engines forbreaching walls, ballistas, stone throwing engines and subterranean tunnels. In the article lightis shed on the siege capabilities of the Georgian army of the period. Extensively discussed arethe Georgian army’s stone throwing artillery, various types of stone hurling engines and thetime of their spread in Georgia.Various techniques of capturing fortresses, applied by the Georgians are described.These include mounting the walls with ladder or various improvised means. The hazardoustechnique of directly assaulting the fortress without preliminary preparation or bringing upheavy siege engines is shown. The capturing of fortresses by means of underground tunnels isdiscussed separately.By the available evidence it is not apparent that Georgians made use of all the siegetechniques known in the medieval world; however, it can be said that they were familiar withand used successfully the basic methods of siege warfare

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