Callias of Arados (Phoenicia) or Callias of Rhodes (349 BC - ?)

Mechanical military engineer

Callias of Arados was an ancient mechanical military engineer also known as Callias the Rhodian. He built a model of a derrick crane that could lift the enemy siege machines and transport them inside the town. Callias was then asked from the Rhodians to build a large derrick crane by means of which it was possible to lift a siege tower. But during the siege of Rhodes from Demetrios Poliorcetes, a very large siege tower was moved against the walls and, against such a big tower, Callias declared himself powerless. His colleague Diognetus, instead, defeated the siege tower and the siegers abandoned the siege.

variant spelling:
Callias of Arados (Phoenicia) or Callias of Rhodes

Curriculum vitae

4. century BC		Callias was asked from the Rhodians to build a large derrick crane by means of which it was possible to lift a siege tower.
* 4. century BC		He built a model of a derrick crane that could lift the enemy siege machines and transport them inside the town.
* 4. century BC	n.n.	born
305 BC		He partecipated to the defence of Rhodes
3. century BC	n.n.

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Permanent links

DMG-Lib		https://www.dmg-lib.org/dmglib/handler?biogr=24049004
Europeana		http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/2020801/dmglib_handler_biogr_24049004.html

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Callias of Arados (Phoenicia) or Callias of Rhodes (349 BC - ?)