ABSTRACT
The construction of fortifications in Republican Italy was a widespread endeavor requiring substantial investments and resources. The interpretation and position of the building marks at Pompeii have been matters of debate. The military concerns affecting the design of the Pompeian fortifications have fueled the debate on the external influences shaping the city's identity. The Pompeiian fortifications adopt both Greek and Italic influences, blending them in an almost unique design adapted to local circumstances and strategic necessity. The design and construction of the towers and double trace system at Pompeii required the technical expertise of skilled architects educated in the tactics of siege warfare. The fortifications were constructed in the form of large terracing walls, creating a broad platform that leveled the terrain in a similar fashion to the southern ridge at Pompeii. After the construction of the main circuit, the towers at Pompeii would be the focus of ornamentation in the subsequent upgrade of the late second century bce.
