City of Side, Asia Minor, second view

 

City of Side, Asia Minor and the Secondary Gate Fortification

City of Side, Asia Minor

 

The City of Side and the Main Landside Gate Fortifications. Founded in the seventh century BC, Side was a prospering city during the hellenistic period. It owed it's prosperity to the advantageous position, which prompted the Cilician pirates to turn it into their naval base and slave trade centre.
The city was encircled by defensive walls sometime between 225 and 188 BC. Only fragments of the land wall protecting the peninsula on the side of the mainland survive. The reconstruction of the shoreside walls is hypothetical. The later structures of the Roman and Byzantine periods, which can be viewed at the site today, were not there in the second century BC and are not shown in this reconstruction.

The Curtains of Perge

 

Built in the late third century BC, the fortifications of Perge were revolutionary for their time. The curtains are of two structural types; a simple solid wall, and a wall with buttresses, arches, a mural gallery, and embrasures for arrow throwing devices. This illustration shows the latter type, from the interior and exterior. The wall provides two levels for defense; an upper wall-walk and a mural gallery. The former was wide enough to accommodate a three span catapult, but the mural gallery was considerably narrower: there was only room for archers. it is possible, however, that temporary wooden planking was placed between the arches during a siege, allowing additional arrow-firing devices to be mounted here.

Reference:
K. S. Nossov, "Greek Fortifications of Asia Minor 500-130 BC," Osprey Pub., Fortress Series, #90, Plate B, Pages 18-19.

City of Maglic, Bosnia

 

Fortified Bishop/s Palace of Maglic showing a Western influence, early 14th century Bosnia (after Pribakovic).. The curtain walls are supported by five towers and two isolated connecting towers with the fortified palace at the extreme end of the fortification.

Slovakian City of Nitra

 

Fortified Slovakian City of Nitra, 11th Century (after Mencl);

1. Bishop's Palace;

2. Upper City;

3. Suburb.

It appears that the Bishop's Palace is fortified within it's own external fortification. The upper city is surrounded by a permanent fortification (stone), while the Suburb is contained within a wooden palisade.

Scaun Citadel

 

Scaun Citadel, Suceava, Moldavia:

1. -- Byzantine style Castle Of the Princes, Peter and Alexander (1375 -- 1432 AD);

2. -- Wall of Stephen The Great (1st phase);

3. -- Wall of Stephen (2nd phase), showing an increased threat from gunpowder artillery;

4. -- Collapsed Defenses.

Hunedora Castle, Transylvania

 

Sections of the Drawing:

1. -- 14th Century;

2. -- Modifications by Janos Hunyadi;

3, -- Late 15th century and later.