A Spatial Connectivity Approach to Landscapes of Conflict: Julius Caesar and the Assault to Puig Ciutat (NE Iberian Peninsula)

Autor: Xavier Rubio-Campillo, Eduard Ble, Àngels Pujol, Roger Sala, Robert Tamba
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory. 29:1059-1089
ISSN: 1573-7764
1072-5369
DOI: 10.1007/s10816-022-09549-7
Popis: Landscape plays a vital role in the development of military campaigns through the definition of geostrategic landmarks that structure the control of the territory, the imposition of constraints to the movement of armies, and the identification of positions that facilitate defensive tactics against aggressors. These factors are linked to the study of past spatial mobility which is typically performed using Least-Cost Path analysis (LCP). LCP identifies the optimal route that connects any two given points based on minimizing the accumulated cost based on a friction surface map, thus allowing archaeologists to identify the most efficient pathways across a territory. The main challenge of LCP analysis for archaeological regions is that optimal pathways are not well suited to define general mobility patterns within highly uncertain scenarios. Connectivity modelling based on Circuit Theory (CT) is an alternative approach to the study of mobility. CT does not generate a single path like LCP does; it captures the connectivity of an entire region identifying not only optimal paths, but also bottlenecks, dead-ends and any other spatial feature that may impact movement.We present here a framework to study landscapes of conflict using connectivity modelling; the framework combines CT, visibility analysis and statistical hypothesis testing to understand the reasons behind the assault and destruction of Puig Ciutat (NE Iberian Peninsula) during Julius Caesar's civil war. Results suggest that the site exerted decisive control over a highly connected area linking two possible logistical bases (Emporion and Massalia) to the armies fighting at Ilerda (49 BC).
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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