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Unconventional types of siege warfare in the Late Middle Ages : the “klepsia”

Αφιέρωμα στη Θεσσαλονίκη για τα 100 χρόνια από την απελευθέρωσή της. Ποικίλες συνεργασίες

• Συγκέλλου, Ευστρατία

Siege warfare was very common in the 14th and 15th centuries, though it included small-scaled and unexpected operations accompanied by the use of artifices. "Klepsia" was one of the most distinguishing methods of siege warfare applied in the region of Aetoloakarnania by the Italian pretender and sovereign of Epirus, Charles I Tocco. The Chronicle of the Toccos', which is a narrative text of the 15th century, provides us with unique information about the particular war tactics."Klepsia" formed a surprise night attack against the main defensive forces of certain castles, such as Varnakas, Aetos, Dragamesto and Vonitea. It was conducted by a small number of soldiers specialized in military operations of this kind. The latter were intended to counterbalance the lack of military forces by taking advantage of time and space in warfare. Undoubtedly, "klepsia" was integrated into the "guerrilla" warfare, which prevailed in Western Greece in the Late Middle Ages.This paper examines "klepsia" as a model of siege warfare in the framework of the "unorthodox" warfare, which attracted most of the adversaries in the Byzantine lands after 1204. Though the lack of relevant evidence in the historical sources makes us sceptical about this military method in terms of denotation or genuineness, it seems that "klepsia" is an authentic product of war experience of the period under discussion.

• History and Archaeology

• Military history

Περιέχει χάρτες και σημειώσεις, Το συγκεκριμένο άρθρο αποτελεί νέα επεξεργασμένη μορφή της επιστημονικής ανακοίνωσης με τίτλο «Κλεψία»: μια εναλλακτική στρατιωτική επιχείρηση στην Αιτωλοακαρνανία κατά τον όψιμο Μεσαίωνα, η οποία παρουσιάστηκε στο Διεθνές Συνέδριο Τοπικής Ιστορίας και Πολιτισμού Τριχωνίας και Ναυπακτίας, Αγρίνιο - Θέρμο - Ναύπακτος, 9-11 Ιουνίου 2012: http://www.livemedia.gr/video/25468.