ASSER
ASSER (from
assero), what is “joined
to” the walls, means the beam of a house (Plaut.
Aul.
2.6, 8), or, more usually, a pole, e. g. the pole of a litter (
Juv. 3.245). In warfare different kinds of long
asseres were used: (1)
falcati asseres (
Liv. 38.5,
3), also called
harpagones (
Liv. 30.10,16);
δορυδρέπανα (
Plb.
21.27.4), poles with hooks at the ends, used for tearing down
battlements. (2) At sea, similar poles (called
longurii) were used for destroying the rigging of the enemy's
ships (
Caes. Gal. 3.14,
5). (3) Poles, twelve feet long, with sharp
points (
cuspidibus praefixi), hurled from
engines against the works of the besiegers (Caes.
B.C. 2.2).
(4) Strong beams with grappling hooks (
corvi et ferreae
manus) attached, which were let drop on the enemy's ships (Q.
Curt. 4.3.24).
[
L.C.P]
