Fortress

7 primary works

Hadrian’s Wall AD 122–410

by Nic Fields

Published 19 February 2003

Hadrian's Wall is the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain. It is the best known frontier in the entire Roman Empire and stands as a reminder of past glories of one of the world's greatest civilizations. Its origins lie in a visit by the Emperor Hadrian to Britain in AD 122 when he ordered the wall to be built to mark the northern boundary of his Empire and to "separate the Romans from the Barbarians". This work details the design development and construction of the wall and covers the everyday lives of those who manned it as well as the assaults it withstood.

Troy c. 1700–1250 BC

by Nic Fields

Published 16 January 2004

In all the stories told by mankind and recorded through its history, the tale of the siege of Troy is perhaps the greatest secular story ever told. It has certainly captured the western imagination for some 3000 years. Archaeological work has revealed that the site around Hisarlik, where Troy is believed to have been, is considerably larger and more interesting than was previously thought, making it more likely that the Trojan Wars were on the scale implied by Homer. This book reveals the literary, historical and archaeological records which make up the background to the tale of Troy and describes in detail the fortifications of Troy VI (i.e. Homer's Troy) and their correlation to other Bronze Age defence works in the Near East. This book also introduces the reader to the literary, historical and archaeological records which make up the background to the tale of Troy.

Mycenaean Citadels c. 1350–1200 BC

by Nic Fields

Published 30 July 2004

From 1600 BC urban civilisation in Greece began to thrive and the power of a number of warlord states began to be felt around the Aegean. This period of Greek development and prosperity is called the Late Helladic or Mycenaean period, a time when Greek society was constantly geared for battle and invasion, and cities were fortress-like with extremely thick perimeter walls. Mycenae, Tiryns, Argos, Krisa, the Athenian Acropolis and Gla are all representative of the fortified citadels that dominated the Greek countryside for over 2000 years. This title charts the histories of the fortresses inhabited by Homer's heroes, detailing their development, use in war and eventual decline.

Rome’s Northern Frontier AD 70–235

by Nic Fields

Published 11 October 2005

The Roman excursions north of the Tyne-Solway line, the route of Hadrian's Wall, can be roughly divided into three main periods. Firstly, Agricola advanced against the Caledonii for six campaigning seasons culminating in the decisive battle of Mons Graupius in AD 83. Secondly, the Antonine Wall was built 70 miles to the north of Hadrian's Wall along the Forth-Clyde isthmus, though it marked the northern frontier of the empire for little more than 20 years. Finally, at the beginning of the 3rd century AD L. Septimius Severus arrived to restore order along the northern frontier, briefly reoccupying and repairing sections of the Antonine Wall. This title describes the fortifications left behind by each of these three attempts to subdue Rome's northernmost frontier.

Ancient Greek Fortifications 500–300 BC

by Nic Fields

Published 11 January 2006

The development of the city-state in the Classical period of Greek history ensured a shift in the nature of fortifications in the region. No longer were fortresses designed to defend a ruler and his entourage, rather the whole of the citizen body had to be protected against any outside threats. The enceintes of these Greek city-states did not have to be very high or strong as city-state conflict was still decided by spear and shield, though some thought was still given to the science of fortification. This book details the construction and ongoing development of the defences that protected some of the most illustrious sites in Greece during the most famous period of her history.

Rome’s Saxon Shore

by Nic Fields

Published 7 December 2006

The 'Saxon Shore' forts are among the most impressive surviving monuments of Roman Britain, although much about them remains a mystery. In an impressive outlay of money, manpower and materials the frontier system stretched across the Wash-Solent and included the heavy fortification of the major harbours and estuaries of the east and south-east coast. This book is concerned with the fundamental questions concerning the forts. Who built the military monuments, when, and why? How did they operate, who garrisoned them, and for how long? This book explores the history of this frontier system the ruins of which define the British landscape to this day.

The Walls of Rome

by Nic Fields

Published 5 March 2008

Having defeated a Germanic invasion of northern Italy, the Emperor Aurelian surrounded Rome with a powerful circuit of walls. This great fortification is one of the best preserved of all city walls in the Roman Empire and remains a dramatic feature of Rome today, representing the most emblematic and the most enduring monument of Aurelian's age. Nothing else so eloquently demonstrates that, by Aurelian's day, the empire was on the defensive. Although embellished, strengthened and restored many times down the ages, Aurelian's original structure remained the basis of the city's defences through to the mid-19th century, when the Republican forces under Giuseppe Garibaldi managed for some time to withstand the French, and is still discernible today along much of the walls' circuit.

This title describes Aurelian's Wall in detail with cut-away cross sections, and investigates its historical purpose and military effectiveness within the general context of late Roman fortifications. A final section follows the history of the Wall's continued use beyond the Romano-Byzantine period, and provides an invaluable tourist aid.