Between Historiographical Tradition and Reality: Siege Accounts in Polybius’ Histories

In some ways the Hellenistic era was characterized by a significant development in siege craft. Military innovations of the ivth century BC contributed greatly to progress in siege techniques and increased the role of sieges in warfare. Polybius’ Histories, generally considered a major source on the wars of the iii and ii centuries BC, describes a total of 26 sieges in detail (Sardis, Syracusae, New Carthage, Ambracus etc.), of which 19 were successful, and reflects the author’s apparent inte...