Histories

Now when the Persians that Aryandes sent from Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt to avenge Pheretime came to +Al Marj [20.833,32.5] (inhabited place), Al Jabal al Akhdar, Libya, Africa Barce,[*](The story broken off in Hdt. 4.167 is resumed.) they laid siege to the city, demanding the surrender of those who were guilty of the murder of Arcesilaus: but the Barcaeans, whose whole people were accessory to the deed, would not yield.

The Persians besieged +Al Marj [20.833,32.5] (inhabited place), Al Jabal al Akhdar, Libya, Africa Barce for nine months, digging underground passages leading to the walls, and making violent assaults. As for the tunnels, a blacksmith discovered them by the means of a bronze shield, and this is how he found them: carrying the shield around the inner side of the walls, he struck it against the ground of the city;

all the other places which he struck returned a dull sound; but where there were tunnels, the bronze of the shield rang clear. Here the Barcaeans made a counter-tunnel and killed those Persians who were digging underground. Thus the tunnels were discovered, and the assaults were repelled by the townsfolk.