Roman siege tower
Bring the exciting times of the Roman Empire directly into the classroom with the imagination and creative design of the craft sheet.
Roman legions - characteristic and legendary
Nothing is as significant for the Roman Empire as the generals and their legions with their sophisticated fighting techniques and equipment. They were the heart and backbone of ancient Roman society. Extremely exciting for children who are embarking on their first excursions into the spectacular and extremely exciting world of the ancient Romans.
Combat techniques of the Roman armed forces
The legendary power of the ancient Romans was solely due to the size and strength of the Roman army with its sophisticated fighting techniques. Generals were highly respected personalities. They developed sophisticated offensive weapons and techniques that brought them victory in numerous battles. They were also great masters when it came to sieges. First they surrounded the city with siege forts and starved it out. Then they entered the city with a siege tower. Such a tower, also known as an assault tower, was the ultimate weapon when it came to capturing cities or fortresses. With the construction sheet offered in our store, it is possible to reconstruct such a siege tower in a playful way. The templates have been created with great attention to detail and are colorful. The three individual sheets are made of sturdy paper and are suitable for children aged seven and over.
- Craft sheets Quantity: 3
- Material: sturdy paper
- Format: DIN A4
- Dimensions: LxWxH 10x6x19cm
- Siege tower Scale: 1: 87
- Epoch: Rome
Monumental siege towers - effective weapon as a craft sheet
Such towers were made of wood and were sometimes monumental in size, reaching a height of 53 meters. Some of the walls were clad with fur in order to fend off enemy arrows even better. The inside of the tower was divided into several floors, which were connected by stairs. A drawbridge was mounted on the top platform. This enabled the soldiers in the tower to connect to the respective walls for the assault.
Great fun for little Roman fans
This crafting fun with the siege tower crafting sheet is definitely a highlight and pure fun, not only in the classroom but also for small themed children's parties.
The ancient Roman siege technique
Siege towers were mostly used as a weapon of attack against the enemy's heavily fortified and high walls. In ancient times (from the 9th century BC), the Assyrians and Persians also used them as "office towers" during sieges. Throughout antiquity (Greeks, Romans) and into the late Middle Ages, they were often decisive in battles. The appropriate means of conquering important places (e.g. seats of government).
Strategic objectives were therefore protected by high, thick walls and fortified towers. A conquest by direct attack would have been suicidal and hopeless. The fortresses were besieged. The enemy was to be starved out. At some point, their own supplies also became scarce. There was an urgent need to shorten the siege time. Artillery was developed and catapults and other heavy equipment were used to psychologically wear down the cities and slowly shoot them down.
The Romans perfected the siege tower in line with the times. The tower was a multi-storey wooden construction and was built directly on the battlefield by specialists. The building material came from the surrounding area, with special parts also coming from further afield.
It was designed to transport troops to the fortress wall on wheels or rollers, propelled by people or animals.
Pioneers had to pave the way for this. Trenches had to be filled in and ramparts removed.
The impressive dimensions of a Roman ramp can still be seen today at the ruins of Massada. The height of the siege towers here is said to have been 25 meters.
A battering ram was usually suspended below the tower, which could be used to break open the walls or gates.
Supplies were stored on the floors above. Once the assault soldiers from the floor at the top of the wall had overcome these via fold-out ramps, they moved up. Sometimes there were also ramps or catapults on the mezzanines.
The top floor was manned by archers. They could attack the besieged beyond the battlements and at the same time provide cover for their own troops.
With fireproof, solid sides and front walls, as well as wet animal skins, the wooden tower was reasonably protected against incendiary arrows, pots etc., as well as hard stone projectiles. Bull intestines filled with water were stored to extinguish the fire.
The open rear made it possible to move up large units of troops.
The tower thus formed a bridgehead for the advancing army.
The height of the construction depended on the height of the wall to be forced. It is said to have been up to 40 meters high.
For self-defense, the besieged fired incendiary and hard stone projectiles against the tower.
Archers who shot at service personnel or draught animals were effective.
Counterattacks/attacks could stop the attacker and inflict heavy losses.
Miners undermined the terrain with tunnels that collapsed under the weight of the tower and, like concealed trenches, could bring the tower down.
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