Archimedes made practical inventions which enabled the Syracusans to fend off the Roman siege. He protected the city by his inventions, for example, he invented a huge crane operated hook " the claw of Archimedes" that could be able to lift enemy ships out of the sea. Legends tell that he also invented a way to make Roman ships to catch fire by reflection and focusing of light of the sun on their ships by use of a large mirror. A combination of this and onages and ballstats on the city walls made it difficult for Romans that forced them to apply direct assault which was expensive or the Romans.