Archeologists have found the oldest evidence of chemical warfare

[KozaK13]

How did the persian end up there?

Would poisoning wells or other water supplies be under scorched earth or chemical warfare?

[Watchman]

A mine, also sometimes known as a sap. Dug under the walls of the besieged fortress and then deliberately collapsed to bring down sections of the circular defense (IIRC, didn't Dura apparently surrender after a whole section of the wall was lost to such and it became clear the next Persian assault would carry the fortress...?). Standard defender SOP to deal with such was to dig their own countermine to attack and destroy the approaching sap, which was wont to lead to some rather claustrophobic underground melees.

Engineers could also get seriously diabolically creative if they had access to suitable tools of applied chemistry, incendiary weapons like fire-siphons etc...

As an aside, mines were still dug under the enemy positions as late as WW1 - although by this point they had for a while now been made rather more potent by the option of piling explosives at the end and blowing those up under the foe's feet...

[theoldbelgian]

A mine, also sometimes known as a sap. Dug under the walls of the besieged fortress and then deliberately collapsed to bring down sections of the circular defense (IIRC, didn't Dura apparently surrender after a whole section of the wall was lost to such and it became clear the next Persian assault would carry the fortress...?). Standard defender SOP to deal with such was to dig their own countermine to attack and destroy the approaching sap, which was wont to lead to some rather claustrophobic underground melees.

Engineers could also get seriously diabolically creative if they had access to suitable tools of applied chemistry, incendiary weapons like fire-siphons etc...

As an aside, mines were still dug under the enemy positions as late as WW1 - although by this point they had for a while now been made rather more potent by the option of piling explosives at the end and blowing those up under the foe's feet...

indeed the finishing amerikan and english assault at ieper was set in by a massive series of explosions
there are still 3 charges left in the ground wich didn't explode wich by now they lost the lokation of one charge and the others are too unstable to remove

ive been in that area and you can still see some of the craters

[Watchman]

I know some of the bigger mines the French for example dug were very little indeed short of the standards of full-blown commercial mining operations, with electric lighting, rails and whatnot in the tunnels.

There's even a fairly famous incident from the American Civil War concerning the unsuccesful attempt to exploit the results of a mine...

But I digress. Back to Antiquity now.

[Lucius Verenus]

indeed the finishing amerikan and english assault at ieper was set in by a massive series of explosions
there are still 3 charges left in the ground wich didn't explode wich by now they lost the lokation of one charge and the others are too unstable to remove

ive been in that area and you can still see some of the craters

I think what you are referring to is the 'British' (actually British & Australian) assault on Messines Ridge, prior to the 'Passchendaele' Offensive of 1917

19 Mines of 22 planned were exploded and the Ridge and rear slope to Wytschaete village taken in a single day, probably the most successful assault on the Western Front up to that time.

One of the mines was destroyed by German counter mining operations which were also extensive and involved many heavy underground battles - two mines were not exploded as they lay outside the final operations area and I expect those are the ones that are still there.

Rather like the Romans, there are many soldiers from both sides that went into the tunnels and never came out again.

As for scale of operations , the British even tried a steam driven drilling monster that got stuck and is also 'down there' somewhere

http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/messines.htm (if interested)

[phoenixemperor]

the 'British' (actually British, Australian and New Zealander) assault on Messines Ridge

Fixed.

[theoldbelgian]

thanks lucius for clearing that up

it was a while ago since I have been there and my memory was clouded

[Cullhwch]

One of those mines under Ploegsteert Wood blew up in the 1950s and killed a few cows. I think there's only one left.

[Lucius Verenus]

removed double-post