St Angelo, Dominick
(2024)
Stones, labour, and city walls: Modelling the social and economic cost of Greek and Etruscan city wall construction during the Archaic and Classical periods.
Master of Philosophy thesis, University of Liverpool.
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Abstract
Abstract City walls are among the most prominent surviving remnants of ancient settlements. They represent a substantial investment of resources, labour, and expenses for societies of the past, yet they remain one of the least explored aspects of the ancient economy. The significance of city walls and their meaning to the people who constructed them has often been overlooked by scholars. Limited attention has been given to the immense effort and time required to build such structures around a city. Ancient writers have provided scant written evidence about city walls, and scholarly focus has predominantly centred on the examination and study of temples, tombs, and other monumental buildings. This thesis aims to fill this gap in research by investigating the role of urbanization in relation to these monuments. Specifically, the study examines the form and construction of ancient city walls in modern-day Italy during the Archaic and Classical periods by using seven Greek and Etruscan test case cities. The research utilizes a version of Architectural Energetics (A.E.) to estimate the comparative labour costs involved in constructing walls across three regions of Italy: Magna Graecia, Sicily, and Etruria. The developed methodology allows for a systematic analysis of the construction stages and processes, providing a logical understanding of the building methods employed. The modelling process was designed to be adaptable, considering the available data from each of the sites and the diverse local resources. Through the assessment and analysis of the architectural evolution of each wall, a comprehensive dataset is generated. This dataset can be utilized to explore and compare the investment made in wall construction and the resulting cost implications for each settlement. Furthermore, the obtained data contributes to a deeper understanding of urbanization in the Mediterranean region during the 7th to 4th centuries B.C.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master of Philosophy) |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Sep 2024 13:54 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Aug 2026 01:30 |
| DOI: | 10.17638/03180261 |
| Supervisors: |
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| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3180261 |
| Disclaimer: | The University of Liverpool is not responsible for content contained on other websites from links within repository metadata. Please contact us if you notice anything that appears incorrect or inappropriate. |
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