HELE´POLIS
HELE´POLIS (
ἑλέπολις).
When Demetrius Poliorcetes besieged Salamis in Cyprus B.C. 306, he caused a
machine to be constructed, which he called “the taker of
cities.” Its form was that of a double cube, 45 cubits square and 90
high. It rested on four wheels, each 8 cubits high. It was divided into nine
stories, the lower of which contained machines for throwing great stones,
the middle large catapults for throwing spears, and the highest, other
machines for throwing smaller stones, together with smaller catapults. It
was manned with 200 soldiers, basides those who moved it by pushing the
parallel beams at the bottom. (
Diod. 20.48.)
At the siege of Rhodes, in the following year, Demetrius employed a helepolis
of still greater dimensions and more complicated construction/ Besides
wheels it had castors (
ἀντίστρεπτα), so as
to admit of being moved laterally as well as directly. Its form was
pyramidal. The three sides which were exposed to attack were rendered
fire-proof by being covered with iron plates. In front each story had
port-holes, which were adapted to the several kinds of missiles, and were
furnished with shutters that could be opened or closed at pleasure, and were
made of skins stuffed with wool. Each story had two broad flights of steps,
the one for ascending, the other for descending. (
Diod. 20.91;
Plut. Demetr. 21;
compare
Vitr. 10.22.) This helepolis was
constructed by Epimachus the Athenian; and a much esteemed description of it
was written by Dioclides of Abdera. (
Athen.
5.206 d.) It was no doubt the greatest and most remarkable engine
of the kind that was ever erected. In subsequent ages we find the name of
“helepolis” applied to moving towers which carried
battering-rams, as well as machines for throwing spears and stones. Engines
of this kind were used to batter the walls of Jerusalem at the siege under
Titus (Joseph.
B. J. 2.19.9; 3.6.2). One described by
Ammianus does not differ much from the earlier model (
Amm. Marc. 23.4.10); we find them likewise in
the Byzantine
[p. 1.939]period (Agathias, 1.18; Nicet. Chon.
Jo. Comnen. p. 14 b). [ARIES;
TORMENTUM.]
[
J.Y] [
W.W]