Boiling oil

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Boiling oil, in terms of warfare, is a quantity of oil heated to high temperatures and then poured on an enemy. It is often described as a significant defensive measure in siege warfare.

The use of boiling oil in history was probably less common than is sometimes imagined, as oil was a relatively expensive resource, and was difficult to obtain in large quantities while under siege. Other hot substances, such as boiling water, burning pitch, or heated sand, provided considerably more economical methods of defence, and there were of course also many non-heated weapons available, for instance ordinary rocks. Nevertheless, boiling oil was sometimes employed.

(Note that the use of burning oil, as sometimes occurs in films or literature, would be even more inefficient than the use of boiling oil, and would also be highly impractical from the defenders' point of view. In all probability, burning oil was not used in normal circumstances, although Greek fire might produce similar effects.)

In events where boiling oil was employed, the presence of facilities such as machicolations and "murder-holes" was of considerable assistance to the defenders. The most common use of boiling oil would have been against escalade (ladder assault), and escalading troops would have found it difficult to protect themselves. Attackers often had the advantage, however, because the defenders had limited supplies of oil.

The first recorded use of boiling oil as a weapon was at the siege of Jotapata during the First Jewish-Roman War.