When one thinks about siege weaponry, the initial thoughts might gravitate toward catapults and trebuchets. However, these are far from being the most effective siege weapons. Trebuchets and ballistas may cause damage to walls, but they are better suited for prolonged sieges. A fortress consistently bombarded by such weapons would eventually surrender. But, a prolonged siege isn't always the most effective strategy, as reinforcements might arrive for the besieged while the attackers wait at the walls. In addition to a long siege, there was a faster way to take the fortress - simply dig a tunnel under the wall and blow it up!!!

And from the reports, it's evident that the besieged greatly feared undermining. If a tunnel had been dug, the only defense against it was counter-mining; defenders would dig their own tunnel, hoping to infiltrate the besiegers' tunnel and halt its construction. However, the Chinese devised a more effective method to combat this siege technique; they utilized ancient chemical weaponry! Now you will discover what weapon was capable of eliminating all sappers in the tunnels, who built the world's largest siege tower, and how, in Ancient Greece, a city was captured using a gigantic flamethrower!