Ancient Greek Buildings/ Fortifications Matthew Jackson
What is a fortification? -The combination of terrain and available materials to form a means of defense against potential attackers -Represent the materialized expression of human fear/ paranoia of being attacked. -Throughout the course of history, favor has swung between strong fortifications (defense) and efficient siegecraft (offense)
Why did people build walls? 1. Used as a defense against hand- held weapons, such as bows and slings. 2. The desire to establish a sedentary lifestyle based upon agriculture and reliance on animals. (Walls allowed people to store surplus food and goods) Walls can be viewed as a symbol of power and wealth, and a lot of Mycenaeans appreciated the architecture of their walls being a symbolism of war
Where to set up a fortification? Lots of cities were made on top of HILLS or along the edge of a SHARP CHANGE IN ELEVATION. Hills provide a better vantage point to look down at intruders/ attackers Typically looked for hills with a flat- top so they would not be building the city at an angle. Had to be located near fertile land with a constant supply of water (ideally near a rock quarry so you do not have to move the rocks as far)
Types of Citadel Cities 1. Island Acropolis- (i.e. Athens, Tiryns, Gla) i. The city rises in a plain that is surrounded by mountains + the sea, typically located near a Bay 2. Recess- (i.e. Argos, Lamia) i. Nestle the city into the corner of a plain at the base of a mountain. ii. Allows you to control the pathways between the mountains and on the surrounding plains. 3. Promontory Acropolis- (i.e. Aulis, Asine) i. Directly looks over the sea and protects a harbor.
Method of Construction Cyclopean Era: The name attributed to the masonry style characteristic of the Mycenaean Period Walls were built out of huge boulders made of Limestone (weighing several tons). Mortar/ clay was NOT used to cement/ stick the stones together. Instead, smaller chunks of Limestone were used to fill in the gaps in the rocks. Rocks were polygonal, but not uniform in size/ weight. Simply stack them up and fill in the gaps until you have a wall that can defend a city! (*Corvee System of Labor*)
Method of Construction cont... Curtain Wall: Typical height of about 8m and at least 3m thick. -At the top of the wall, there is usually a walkway. The top portion of the outer wall is stylized more to create a commanding appearance. -Cut-stone Masonry (use of mortar) used around the entrance/ doors. -A lot of the walls that were made in the Cyclopean era contained methods for water drainage.
Tools Used 1. Pendulum- Saw: 2. Bow- Drill: 3. Bronze Axe: 4. Adze Blades: 5. Earth Ramps: 6. Wooden rollers/ logs:
But what about Troy?
Quick Facts on Troy -Located on a Limestone Spur -Currently, the water line of the Aegean Sea is farther away from Troy, but during the time of the Trojan War, there was a bay that formed near the wall. -Mud-brick technique on the inner buildings -9 cities of Troy: 1 destroyed after the other. (20m high hill)
Location of Troy -Troy is at the perfect point between the East (Black Sea) and West (Mediterranean). Extremely favorable position to become a centre of power for trade. -Controlled the land routes along the western coastal region of Anatolia -Able to force people to pay tolls for using their trade routes and waterways.
Which Troy is Homer s Troy? -Archaeologists who have visited the site have differing opinions, but most agree that the 6th establishment at the site was the site of Homer s Troy -Clearly saw it s destruction at the hands of mankind as excavation revealed signs of war: Thick charcoal layers dating back to 1250 B.C Arrowheads, slingshots, and spearheads scattered in debris Horse-drawn war chariots, blades, and bronze weapons.
What did Troy look like? 13x larger than the original settlement at Troy A massive Curtain Wall that was 10m (+) high and 5m thick 6 meter (20 feet) Circuit Wall inside the city surrounding the palace Huge towers facing different directions from the city for surveillance Long sloping walls Well-cut masonry Buildings made of Mud Brick ** All of this work was done WITHOUT the use of mortar, instead fitting rocks so closely together that they were airtight and sturdy **
How was it made/ What did the Wall look like? -Followed many of the typical methods of construction of the Cyclopean Era that were previously discussed (roll stone on rock, stack it up, no mortar) -Formed a nearly perfect circle around the city. Instead of having 4 corners, the walls were offset by 9-30cm to make slight turns around the city. In any defensive system, the corners are the weakest point. So, why not build a city that is surrounded by a cornerless wall?
How does Troy s construction compare to the era? Size/ Fit of Rocks Bedrock Size of the Wall Slant of the Wall
Why does this matter? Considering people are still building walls today (i.e. Trump), it is important to look back and see how we got to the architectural position that we are in today. The innovation of the Trojans when building their wall is extremely impressive as they learned from and built upon their mistakes. It becomes even more impressive when you realize these forts were made over 3,000 years ago and are still standing today!