Expugnatio

Expugnatio is a Latin noun meaning conquest or siege, derived from the verb expugno, expugnare, expugnavi, expugnatus, “to take by force, to storm.” It is a feminine noun of the third declension, with the genitive form expugnationis.

In classical and medieval Latin, expugnatio denotes the act of capturing a fortress, city, or territory by force, typically through siege or assault, as well as the resulting conquest. The term appears in chronicles, diplomatic and legal documents, and ecclesiastical records to describe sieges and conquests across antiquity and the Middle Ages. It is used to distinguish forcible takeovers from peaceful surrender or capitulation.

Related linguistic forms include expugnator (the besieger or attacker) and expugnatus (the one captured). The verb expugno and its derivatives are part of a broader vocabulary for describing military action and siege warfare in Latin sources. In scholarly discussions, expugnatio is often employed as a technical term to analyze how sieges were conducted and documented in historical narratives, legal dispositions, and administrative records.

Overall, expugnatio functions as a historical-technical label for the act and outcome of taking a fortification by force, reflecting the prominence of siege warfare in Latin historiography and documentary practice.