Poliorketik: “Kuşatma Savaşı ve Demetrios Poliorketes İlişkisi”

Abstract

Poliorketika (πολιορκητικά), Antik Yunan’dan gelen ve özellikle askeri stratejiyle ilgili bir terim olup; “polis” (şehir) ve “orkein” (kuşatmak) kelimelerinin birleşiminden türetilmiştir. Poliorketik, şehirlerin veya surların kuşatılmasıyla ilgili stratejileri ve teknikleri tanımlamakla birlikte, kentin korunması için geliştirilen çeşitli yöntem ve yapıları da içermektedir. Buradan da anlaşılacağı üzere Poliorketik kavramı, hem saldırı hem de savunma sanatını bir araya getiren iki ana başlığın birleşim noktasıdır. Saldırı sanatı ile; tahkimatları yıkmak ve kenti ele geçirmek amaçlanırken; savunma sanatıyla da kenti veya tahkimatlı mevzileri düşman saldırılarına karşı koruma çabası öne çıkmaktadır. Poliorketik disiplini içerisinde ele alınan teknolojik gelişmeler ve bu gelişmelere tepki amaçlı ortaya çıkan savunma yapıları elbette bazı yazarların seçkin bilgisine tanıklık eden bir takım önemli yayınların hazırlanmasına neden olmuştur, bu çalışmaların kapsamı ve değerinin farkında olarak, poliorketiğin tüm alanlarında yenilikçi bir yaklaşım iddiasında değiliz, Çalışmanın özgünlük iddiası, arkeoloji literarüründe poliorketik sanatının sadece savunma mimarisinden ibaret olduğu ve ilk uygulayıcısının I. Demetrios Poliorketes olarak bilinmesinin önüne geçilecek olması ve bu sanatın aslında I. Demetrios Poliorketes ile başlamadığı, aksine kökeninin Mezopotamya uygarlıklarına dayandığının antik kaynaklar ve Arkeolojik veriler ışığında okuyucular ile buluşturacak olmasıdır.

Keywords

• Poliorketik
• Kuşatma
• Savunma
• Demetrios
• Mezopotamya.

Poliorcetics: “The Siege War and its Connection to Demetrios Poliorcetes”

Abstract

Poliorcetics (πολιορκητική) is a term originating from Ancient Greece and particularly related to military strategy. It is derived from the combination of the words ‘polis’ (city) and ‘orkein’ (to besiege). Poliorcetics describes strategies and techniques related to the siege of cities or walls, but also encompasses various methods and structures developed for the protection of the city. As can be understood from this, the concept of poliorcetica is the meeting point of two main headings that bring together both the art of attack and the art of defence. The art of attack aims to destroy fortifications and capture the city, while the art of defence emphasises the effort to protect the city or fortified positions against enemy attacks. Technological developments within the discipline of poliorketica and the defensive structures that emerged in response to these developments have naturally led to the preparation of several important publications that bear witness to the distinguished knowledge of certain authors. Being aware of the scope and value of these studies, we do not claim to have an innovative approach in all areas of poliorcetica. The originality of this work lies in challenging the notion prevalent in archaeological literature that poliorketica art is solely defensive architecture and that its first practitioner was Demetrios Poliorketes. Instead, it will present readers with archaeological evidence showing that this art did not begin with Demetrios Poliorcetes, but rather has its origins in Mesopotamian civilisations. Among these civilisations, the Assyrians and Persians stand out. Both ancient sources and archaeological evidence confirm that these two civilisations used siege weapons. Therefore, the success of the Greeks in siege warfare in the 5th century BC is undoubtedly the result of this inherited legacy. It is also a fact that the Greeks redesigned, developed and optimised the poliorcetica weapons they acquired through interaction or field experience. This study will explain that the foundations of Greek poliorcetica lie in Mesopotamian civilisations, but that the art of poliorcetica was made more functional by Demetrios.

Keywords

• Polyorketic
• Siege
• Defence
• Demetrius
• Mesopotamia.

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