The Strongest Ancient Greek Castle [8:35]

--> YouTube-Generated Transcript <--
· Introduction
0:01 · urielis Castle high above the city of
0:04 · Syracuse in Sicily was arguably the most
0:07 · impressive fortification anywhere in the
0:10 · ancient Greek world
0:15 · the castle was constructed by the great
0:17 · tyrant Daisius I to protect Syracuse
0:21 · from Carthaginian attack
0:23 · it was the literal and figurative high
0:26 · point of the 18 miles of fortifications
0:29 · that the tyrant built on the plateau
0:31 · above Syracuse
0:34 · it was protected on this side by three
· Outworks
0:37 · lines of ditches this is the second
0:39 · ditch hacked as you can see into the
0:43 · native limestone
0:46 · on the far side are the remains of an
0:49 · outwork now mostly tumbled into the
0:52 · ditch
0:54 · beyond looms the keep
0:58 · the city of Syracuse ancient and modern
1:01 · is ahead of us off toward the sea
1:08 · immediately in front of the keep was the
1:10 · colossal third ditch which we're now
1:13 · peering into
1:16 · this ditch was connected by a series of
1:18 · tunnels with every other part of the
1:20 · castle here
1:25 · we have the peers of the drawbridge
1:30 · we'll take a closer look at all this
1:31 · from below
· Tunnels and galleries
1:37 · we're now inside the third ditch
1:41 · this was the heart of the fortress the
1:43 · central hub to which all their parts
1:45 · were connected mostly by tunnels
1:53 · as you can see off to our right these
1:56 · tunnels were at different levels some
1:58 · asked the level of the ditch others
2:00 · below
2:05 · the ditch is littered with blocks that
2:07 · have fallen from the walls above
2:12 · to our left is a subterranean gallery
2:15 · which we'll explore shortly
2:18 · it parallels the full length of this
2:20 · moat
2:24 · and right ahead are the three peers that
2:27 · supported the drawbridge of the central
2:30 · keep
2:34 · one more look down a deep tunnel
2:38 · and now into that subterranean gallery
2:51 · quite a few tunnels opened off this
2:53 · gallery and most are unfortunately now
2:56 · closed to visitors
2:58 · but one at the far end is still open so
3:01 · hang tight
3:13 · there's nothing quite so tantalizing as
3:15 · a barrier is there
3:18 · but I'll be good for YouTube
3:21 · just a peek
3:29 · ahead is the entrance to a tunnel that
3:32 · issues in a moat along the side of one
3:36 · of the main keep walls
3:40 · we won't go quite that far just enough
3:42 · to give you a sense of the scale which
3:45 · is pretty mind-boggling
4:03 · nice and cool down here
4:15 · ahead a tantalizing pool of light not
4:18 · the end of the tunnel believe it or not
4:20 · but far enough for us
4:31 · and with this haunting view we'll return
4:34 · to the keep
· Keep
4:38 · on this side the keep was defended by
4:40 · five immense towers each about 40 ft
4:44 · high and surmounted by catapults
4:51 · let's go inside
4:56 · walking up now between two of the towers
5:03 · as you can see all were made from large
5:06 · blocks of local stone
5:08 · probably cut from the ditches
5:30 · now emerging into the central courtyard
5:32 · of the keep
5:38 · and turning back
5:40 · toward the interfaces of the towers
5:46 · although rubble fills most of the
5:48 · courtyard we can still see the chambers
5:51 · that lined it on this side
5:54 · these were likely some combination of
5:56 · barracks and store rooms perhaps
5:59 · kitchens for the soldiers stationed here
6:16 · from this vantage point we have a good
6:19 · view over the keep
6:26 · and toward the outer courtyard which
6:29 · connected it with the walls of Dionius
· Outer courtyard
6:38 · we're now at the far end of the keep's
6:40 · courtyard
6:42 · turning to go through this gate
7:00 · this was a sort of outer courtyard
7:04 · a large area that contained the keep's
7:07 · sistns which are right ahead of us
7:14 · looking down into the sistns
7:17 · and now turning to exit the keep
7:26 · all the sounds of a Mediterranean summer
· Walls of Dionysius
7:49 · the walls as you can see were about 20
7:52 · ft thick
8:05 · one last look at the walls of Dionius
8:11 · and along this path rudded by ancient
8:14 · carts
8:18 · toward the greatest Greek fortification
8:21 · ever built

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Most impressive.

No wonder so much of if survived. :^)

Amazing that they cut those very long tunnels by hand and moved all that stone. Did they have horses or mules to drag stone with?

Very much so.

--> YouTube-Generated Transcript <--
	·	Introduction
0:01	·	urielis Castle high above the city of
0:04	·	Syracuse in Sicily was arguably the most
0:07	·	impressive fortification anywhere in the
0:10	·	ancient Greek world
0:15	·	the castle was constructed by the great
0:17	·	tyrant Daisius I to protect Syracuse
0:21	·	from Carthaginian attack
0:23	·	it was the literal and figurative high
0:26	·	point of the 18 miles of fortifications
0:29	·	that the tyrant built on the plateau
0:31	·	above Syracuse
0:34	·	it was protected on this side by three
	·	Outworks
0:37	·	lines of ditches this is the second
0:39	·	ditch hacked as you can see into the
0:43	·	native limestone
0:46	·	on the far side are the remains of an
0:49	·	outwork now mostly tumbled into the
0:52	·	ditch
0:54	·	beyond looms the keep
0:58	·	the city of Syracuse ancient and modern
1:01	·	is ahead of us off toward the sea
1:08	·	immediately in front of the keep was the
1:10	·	colossal third ditch which we're now
1:13	·	peering into
1:16	·	this ditch was connected by a series of
1:18	·	tunnels with every other part of the
1:20	·	castle here
1:25	·	we have the peers of the drawbridge
1:30	·	we'll take a closer look at all this
1:31	·	from below
	·	Tunnels and galleries
1:37	·	we're now inside the third ditch
1:41	·	this was the heart of the fortress the
1:43	·	central hub to which all their parts
1:45	·	were connected mostly by tunnels
1:53	·	as you can see off to our right these
1:56	·	tunnels were at different levels some
1:58	·	asked the level of the ditch others
2:00	·	below
2:05	·	the ditch is littered with blocks that
2:07	·	have fallen from the walls above
2:12	·	to our left is a subterranean gallery
2:15	·	which we'll explore shortly
2:18	·	it parallels the full length of this
2:20	·	moat
2:24	·	and right ahead are the three peers that
2:27	·	supported the drawbridge of the central
2:30	·	keep
2:34	·	one more look down a deep tunnel
2:38	·	and now into that subterranean gallery
2:51	·	quite a few tunnels opened off this
2:53	·	gallery and most are unfortunately now
2:56	·	closed to visitors
2:58	·	but one at the far end is still open so
3:01	·	hang tight
3:13	·	there's nothing quite so tantalizing as
3:15	·	a barrier is there
3:18	·	but I'll be good for YouTube
3:21	·	just a peek
3:29	·	ahead is the entrance to a tunnel that
3:32	·	issues in a moat along the side of one
3:36	·	of the main keep walls
3:40	·	we won't go quite that far just enough
3:42	·	to give you a sense of the scale which
3:45	·	is pretty mind-boggling
4:03	·	nice and cool down here
4:15	·	ahead a tantalizing pool of light not
4:18	·	the end of the tunnel believe it or not
4:20	·	but far enough for us
4:31	·	and with this haunting view we'll return
4:34	·	to the keep
	·	Keep
4:38	·	on this side the keep was defended by
4:40	·	five immense towers each about 40 ft
4:44	·	high and surmounted by catapults
4:51	·	let's go inside
4:56	·	walking up now between two of the towers
5:03	·	as you can see all were made from large
5:06	·	blocks of local stone
5:08	·	probably cut from the ditches
5:30	·	now emerging into the central courtyard
5:32	·	of the keep
5:38	·	and turning back
5:40	·	toward the interfaces of the towers
5:46	·	although rubble fills most of the
5:48	·	courtyard we can still see the chambers
5:51	·	that lined it on this side
5:54	·	these were likely some combination of
5:56	·	barracks and store rooms perhaps
5:59	·	kitchens for the soldiers stationed here
6:16	·	from this vantage point we have a good
6:19	·	view over the keep
6:26	·	and toward the outer courtyard which
6:29	·	connected it with the walls of Dionius
	·	Outer courtyard
6:38	·	we're now at the far end of the keep's
6:40	·	courtyard
6:42	·	turning to go through this gate
7:00	·	this was a sort of outer courtyard
7:04	·	a large area that contained the keep's
7:07	·	sistns which are right ahead of us
7:14	·	looking down into the sistns
7:17	·	and now turning to exit the keep
7:26	·	all the sounds of a Mediterranean summer
	·	Walls of Dionysius
7:49	·	the walls as you can see were about 20
7:52	·	ft thick
8:05	·	one last look at the walls of Dionius
8:11	·	and along this path rudded by ancient
8:14	·	carts
8:18	·	toward the greatest Greek fortification
8:21	·	ever built