Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to analyse the fortifications of some of the most important Iberian urban centres in the coastal areas of the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula (present-day Catalonia) by characterising them and linking them to other aspects that define this type of settlement. We first studied the fortifications of five of the best-known urban sites in the study area, paying special attention to their level of sophistication. We then contextualized these defensive systems with other aspects such as the topography and accessibility; the size of the settlement; the complexity of the domestic architecture; the presence of public buildings; the signs of commercial activities and the accumulation of wealth; the presence of necropolises, etc. In doing this, we have been able to show that the complexity of the fortifications normally has a direct correlation with those factors, which are usually considered when assessing the “category” or hierarchical level of settlements. Therefore, we can confirm that the fortifications with a higher level of sophistication were built in the main urban settlements (from a political and socioeconomic point of view) and that their presence corresponded, to a great extent, to the interests of the aristocratic elites who resided in them.