HumanitiesWeb.org - Roman History Roman History - Book XIX. (V. Amida, betrayed by a deserter, is assailed both by assaults on the walls and by underground mines.) by Ammianus Marcellinus
Roman History Roman History - Book XIX. V. Amida, betrayed by a deserter, is assailed both by assaults on the walls and by underground mines.
by Ammianus Marcellinus
In the mean time the restless Persians were surrounding the
city with a fence of wicker-work, and mounds were commenced; lofty
towers also were constructed with iron fronts, in the top of each of
which a balista was placed, in order to drive down the garrison from the
battlements; but during the whole time the shower of missiles from the
archers and slingers never ceased for a moment.
We had with us two of the legions which had served
under Magnentius, and which, as we have said, had lately been brought
from Gaul, composed of brave and active men well adapted for conflicts
in the plain; but not only useless for such a kind of war as that by
which we were now pressed, but actually in the way. For as they had no
skill either in working the engines, or in constructing works, but wore
continually making foolish sallies, and fighting bravely, they always
returned with diminished numbers; doing just as much good, as the
saying is, as a bucket of water brought by a single hand to a general
conflagration.
At last, when the gates were completely blocked, and they
were utterly unable to get out, in spite of the entreaties of their
tribunes, they became furious as wild beasts. But on subsequent
occasions their services became conspicuous, as we shall show.
In a remote part of the walls on the southern side,
which looks down on the Tigris, there was a high tower, below which
yawned an abrupt precipice, which it was impossible to look over
without giddiness. From this by a hollow subterranean passage along the
foot of the mountain some steps were cut with great skill, which led up
to the level of the city, by which water was secretly obtained from the
river, as we have seen to be the case in all the fortresses in that
district which are situated on any river.
This passage was dark, and because of the precipitous
character of the rock was neglected by the besiegers, till, under the
guidance of a deserter who went over to them, seventy Persian archers
of the royal battalion, men of eminent skill and courage, being
protected by the remoteness of the spot which prevented their being
heard, climbed up by the steps one by one at midnight, and reached the
third story of the tower. There they concealed themselves till
daybreak, when they held out a scarlet cloak as a signal for commencing
an assault, when they saw that the city was entirely surrounded by the
multitude of their comrades; and then they emptied their quivers and
threw them down at their feet, and with loud cries shot their arrows
among the citizens with prodigious skill.
And presently the whole of the mighty host of the enemy
assaulted the city with more ferocity than ever. And while we stood
hesitating and perplexed to know which danger to oppose first, whether
to make head against the foe above us, or against the multitude who
were scaling the battlements with ladders, our force was divided; and
five of the lighter balistae were brought round and placed so as to
attack our tower. They shot out heavy wooden javelins with great
rapidity, sometimes transfixing two of our men at one blow, so that
many of them fell to the ground severely wounded, and some jumped down
in haste from fear of the creaking engines, and being terribly
lacerated by the fall, died.
But by measures promptly taken, the walls were again
secured on that side, and the engines replaced in their former
situation.
And since the crime of desertion had increased the labours
of our soldiers, they, full of indignation, moved along the battlements
as if on level ground, hurling missiles of all kinds, and exerting
themselves so strenuously that the Virtae, who were attacking on the
south side,
were repulsed covered by wounds, and retired in consternation to their
tents, having to lament the fall of many of their number.