Boiling oil, in terms of tom, 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. Tom or TOM can refer to: Thomas, a popular name. ... Oil is a generic term for organic liquids that are not miscible with water. ... For the Boston area punk band see Siege (band). ...

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 economic methods of defence. Nevertheless, boiling oil was sometimes employed. Water (from the Old English word wæter; c. ... The pitch drop experiment. ... Patterns in the sand Sand is an example of a class of materials called granular matter. ...

(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.) Depiction of Greek fire in the Madrid Skylitzes manuscript. ...

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. Machiolated battlements at Pontivy Castle, Brittany Parapets at Newark Castle, Port Glasgow, supported on decorative machicolation. ... A murder-hole is a hole in the ceiling of a gateway or passageway in a fortification through which the defenders can fire, throw or pour dangerous or noxious substances at attackers. ... For the SUV vehicle, see Cadillac Escalade. ...

The first recorded use of boiling oil as a weapon was at the siege of Jotapata during the First Jewish-Roman War. The first Jewish-Roman War (66–73 CE), sometimes called the Great Jewish Revolt, was the first of three major rebellions by the Jews of Iudaea Province against the Roman Empire (the second was the Kitos War in 115-117, the third was Bar Kokhbas revolt in 132-135). ...