Great Walls & Linear BarriersPen and Sword, 28.02.2015 - 384 Seiten Everyone has heard of the Great Wall of China and knows of Hadrian's Wall and the other barriers lining stretches of Rome's imperial frontiers. But Peter Spring's original new study demonstrates that far from being exceptional, the building of walls and other linear defences was commonplace among the peoples and states of pre-modern era. He finds examples virtually all across the globe and analyses their forms and strategic functions. He finds patterns for their distribution, an important recurrent theme being the divide between settled agriculture and nomads. The author argues that it is mistaken to view such undertakings as necessarily purely defensive measures that might be evidence of insecurity or a 'maginot line mentality', as they were in fact often about aggressive assertion of control over a region or strategic routes. This original and thought-provoking study brings new light and insight to a fascinating and neglected aspect of human political and military history. It The clear text is supported by numerous, specially drawn maps and photographs. |
Inhalt
Greek World and Roman Empire Barbarians | |
North African and MiddleEastern Semiarid Belt | |
Northern Europe Barbarians and Ancient Roads | |
Russia Defeating the Steppe Nomads Chapter 12 NonEurasian Linear Barriers Chapter 13 Summary of Survey Material Through History | |
Questions And Issues | |
How Valid Are Those Four Linear Barrier Patterns? Chapter 15 Motivations Other Than Pure Defence Aggression and Assertion? | |
Why Did Some Polities Not Build Linear Barriers? Chapter 17 Strategies or Barriers Which Really Defined Relations Between States and Nomads? C... | |
Visualisation and Functioning Chapter 20 Construction and Maintenance Chapter 21 Tactical Use of Static and Mobile Linear Barriers Chapter 22 Mo... | |
Aftermath | |
The Naming of Linear Barriers Chapter 25 Destruction Discovery and Protection | |
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Antonine Wall appear attack Avars barbarians Black Sea border Brazda lui Novac Britain Budjak built Bulgaria Bulgars Carpathians Caspian Central Asia century BC Chersonesos China Chinese construction Crimea Csörszárok Danevirke Danube defence Derbent ditch Dnieper Dniester Dobrogea Dyke dynasty east eastern Emperor Erkesia Euphrates Eurasian Steppe Europe fortified frontier Greater Bulgaria Greek Hadrian’s Wall Huns Isthmus Jutland Kiev Kievan Rus kilometres kilometres long Lacul land corridor Limes linear barrier building linear barriers linear earthworks long walls Mesopotamia metres Ming Mongols Mountains nomads northern oasis walls Pechenegs Peninsula period Polovtsians Pontic Steppe possibly protected Prut raiding rampart region riverine road Roman Empire Roman linear barriers route routeways runs Sasanian Scythians seventh century sixth century southern strategic territory Thracian Chersonesos threat Tigris transhumance Turkic Ukraine Valul lui Traian wall building Wallachian Plain warring western Xianbei Xiongnu Zhao Zmievi Vali Zone