Resumé - Africam Defendere

A systematic analysis of the fortified landscape in the Thugga region during the 6th and 7th centuries reveals a complex network of urban, village, and agricultural fortifications that played multifaceted roles beyond mere defense. These structures, including military fortresses, ramparts, rural fortifications, fortified settlements, and watchtowers, were integral to strategies of adaptation by local populations, elites, the military, and provincial administration in response to socio-military changes. The study highlights a long-term transformation of both urban and rural spaces, with cities serving as hubs for military, economic, and administrative functions, surrounded by clusters of fortified and non-fortified habitats. Fortifications, often constructed locally and financed by urban elites, were also used as communication infrastructure and agricultural sites. The research, combining archaeological landscape analysis with data from the Rus Africum project and field observations, underscores Thugga's geopolitical significance as a key transit route during the late antique period.

(Ed.). (2025). VI Resumé. Africam Defendere, 301–304. https://doi.org/10.14220/9783737019057.301