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Secrets of Lost Empires II—Medieval Siege
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Program Overview
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Uncover the Latest Secrets from NOVA
Magnificent structures—symbols of faith, power, commerce, or
comfort—are the intriguing legacies of the civilizations
featured in this five-part miniseries,
Secrets of Lost Empires. Without modern technology, these
ancient builders achieved construction feats that still impress
today.
NOVA travels to the sites of these once-mighty empires to answer the
question, "How did they do that?" Expert teams of engineers,
archeologists, and master builders attempt to recreate the
structures, using the materials, tools, and techniques thought to
have been available to their ancient counterparts. The researchers
draw on tantalizing clues found in ruins, paintings, and documents
to guide them. But in this real-world laboratory, things don't
always go as planned. The teams demonstrate science inquiry in
action, refining their hypotheses through trial and error. In the
process, they gain a deeper understanding of the ancient builders
and their worlds.
Medieval Siege
England's Edward I is said to have used a fearsome machine, called
"Warwolf," to batter his enemies' castle walls into rubble.
Historians think Warwolf was a wooden trebuchet, a missile-throwing
siege weapon that dominated siege warfare until cannons were
invented. In the Scottish countryside, teams build two trebuchet
designs side by side, using medieval building techniques. Will
either, or both, be capable of destroying a model castle wall at a
distance of 200 yards (182 meters)?
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