Siege of Syracuse
212 BCE · Sicily
The Siege of Syracuse was fought in 212 BCE in Sicily between Roman Republic vs Syracuse and its Carthaginian allies; Roman victory after a two-year siege; Archimedes was killed in the sack.
Siege of Syracuse: quick facts
- Date
- 212 BCE
- Location
- Sicily
- Belligerents
- Roman Republic vs Syracuse and its Carthaginian allies
- Commanders
- Marcus Claudius Marcellus vs Hippocrates and Epicydes, with Archimedes directing the defences
- Result
- Roman victory after a two-year siege; Archimedes was killed in the sack.
- Era
- 🏺 Ancient Greece & Rome
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Siege of Syracuse?
The Roman siege of Syracuse is famous for the ingenious defensive machines designed by the mathematician Archimedes, including giant claws that lifted ships from the water and catapults of extraordinary range. The city held out for over two years against Roman forces under Marcellus. When the city finally fell, Archimedes was killed by a Roman soldier, allegedly while drawing geometric figures in the sand.
Did you know?
When Syracuse finally fell, the Roman commander Marcellus reportedly wept at the beauty of the city he was about to sack. He had given specific orders to spare Archimedes, but a soldier killed him anyway.
Sources and further reading
- Siege of Syracuse on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.