[General_Zhaoyun]

According to Dictionary.com, the meaning of "Siege" is as follow:

"The surrounding and blockading of a city, town, or fortress by an army attempting to capture it. "

From my understanding, 'siege weapon' generally refers to city-attacking weapons or weapons used for surrounding or blockading a city or town or fortress. In chinese, siege weapons are called "Gong Cheng Bing Qi 攻城兵器 " (literally "city-attacking weapons"). In chinese history (esp. during warring states period), people such as Lu Ban (a famous carpenter/craftsman) was credited with the invention of some siege weapon such as Cloud Latter (Yun Ti 云梯¯).

Not surprising, there were also weapons used to counteract siege (city-attack) weapons or to defend a city. They were more known as "City-defensive weapons" (chinese : "Shou Cheng Bing Qi 守城兵器" ). During warring states period, Mozi was more famously known for his city-defence tactics as well as a number of city-defence tools/weapons used for countering siege. The reason was that he was a pacifist and his philosophy doctrine lied in his "Non-attack" (so-called "Fei Gong 非攻") which believed a state should not attack another state. For this, he attempted to stop all forms of warfare.

I'm not too sure if there is a more appropriate term for "City-defensive weapon 守城兵器" . In Liang Jieming's book "Chinese Siege Warfare: Mechanical Artillery & Siege Weapons of Antiquity - an illustrated history", the term used for describing this is "Defensive Siege Weapon". But, I personally feel that this might not be so suitable, as "Siege" refers to attacking/surrounding a city rather than defending a city, and thus "Defensive Siege Weapon" may not be an appropriate term to describe weapons used for defending a city.

What do you think?

1. What is the appropriate historical term for "city defensive weapon"?

2. Does 'Siege Weapon' includes "City-defensive weapon "?

[Yang Zongbao]

I would argue that you can refer to both as "Siege Weapons" because they are for use during a siege.

The attacking weapons would be used to actually siege (verb) a city, but the defensive weapons are still being employed during the siege, so the coverall term "Siege Weapon" works equally well.

[TacticalTao]

I agree with Zongbao on this one


Catapults are good defensive weapons as they are offensive. same goes along with ballistas or "rockets". some "city defensive weapons" however, can not be used offensively. for example, one particular and popular Defensive weapon known as Scald(pretty much hot oil).

I've always wondered, are diseased bodies Defensively effective also? or are they just good for assaulting?

[fcharton]

General_Zhaoyun, on Jun 8 2007, 05:21 AM, said:

1. What is the appropriate historical term for "city defensive weapon"?

2. Does 'Siege Weapon' includes "City-defensive weapon "?

I think weapons and systems used specifically for the defense of cities are usually referred to as "fortifications", or "city defenses". Walls, ramparts, boiling oil, would fall in this category.

Siege weapons are litterally, "weapons meant to be used for besieging cities". They were originally designed to break through enemy fortifications, but in practice, defenders could use some of them, and they might be used in non siege situations.

Francois