Ancient Fortifications

By: Silke Müth,Peter I. Schneider,Mike Schnelle and Peter D. De Staebler

Not only in antiquity and not only in the Mediterranean
region, fortifications represent a category of building
characterised above all by their scale and dimension,
with many extending over kilometres and encircling
large areas. Tightly connected with the aspect of
dimension are the economic capabilities necessary
for the erection, operation and maintenance of
fortifications, and the ability to acquire adequate
resources and to control their allocation. In light
of these factors, fortifications must be understood
as highly significant achievements of pre-modern
societies. But from another perspective, i.e. from
the viewpoint of the modern scholar, dimension
is significant when it comes to the selection of
documentation and research methodologies and the
presentation of results in an appropriate format