MALTESE FORTIFICATIONS

O always
ne of the reasons why the Maltese Islands have
drawn the interest of the great European
Although the first man to settle in the Maltese
Islands came around the year 4500 B.C., it was only
and Mediterranean powers, is their strategic position. during the last phase of the prehistoric period that
When ships had to rely on slaves and wind to reach the first fortifications were built on the Maltese
their destination, the Maltese Islands provided good Islands. For some reason or other the first two
harbours for a respite. Even when modern tech- phases of the Islands' prehistory were peaceful
nology produced steam engines and aircraft, it was enough and the inhabitants did not find the need to
still felt that the Maltese Islands' position is provi- defend themselves. But the social life in the Mediter-
dential. An example of this, was the Second World ranean Sea was changing and like other peoples, the
War, when against all odds, Britain kept fighting to Bronze Age people living on the Maltese Islands
safeguard its hold on the Maltese Islands. thought of building some kind of defence for their
It is therefore quite understandable, that through- villages.
out the Islands' history a number of fortifications There have been at least six sites identified with
were built. While some localities have retained their Bronze Age fortified settlements. These are Borg ln-
importance throughout the Islands' history, as ideas Nadur, limits of Birzebbuga; il-Wardija ta' San
and strategies changed, so did fortifications and Gorg, limits of Siggiewi; Ras il-Gebel, limits of
therefore new localities were chosen, and old sites left Mgarr; Bahrija, limits of Rabat; il-Qortin, limits of
to die a natural death. St. Paul's Bay and another site in Gozo, that of in-
This chronological presentation of the evolution of Nuffara, limits of Rabat. Out of these only that of
the fortifications of Malta, starts with the earliest Borg in-Nadur is in a fair state of preservation.
times right up to the British period. A characteristic of these settlements is that they are

The Bronze Age fortified settlement at Borg in-Nadur, limits of Birzebbuga

22
built on promontories, and usually having three sides
of the locality naturally defended. The settlement
would only be defended from the single side where an
attack could be expected. Key to numbers

The Borg in-Nadur defence wall possesses all of I. Borg in·Nadur, Bir:tebbu&ia
2. u.wardija ta' San Corg, limits of Si&Aiewi
the qualities just mentioned. It is found on a hill 3. Ras ii-Cebel, limits of Mgarr
4. Bahrija, limits of Rabat
overlooking St. George's Bay. On two sides of this 5. 11-Qortin, limits of St. Paul 's Bay
6. ln-Nuffara, limits of Rabat, Gozo
settlement there are two valleys, which provide
natural defence as the sides are quite steep. The slope
that leads from the bay to the settlement is somewhat
steep, but it is thought that in antiquity this bay MALTA
reached further inland, and therefore that side would
have been better protected than it is today. There
only remained one part in which an attacker could
creep onto the village, and that was from the stretch
of land that lay in front of the settlement. And it is
here that the defence wall is to be found.
Built in c1450 B.C. this wall uses the system that
was commonly used by the people of that era all BRONZE AGE
around the Mediterranean. It is known as cyclopean FORTIFIED SETTLEMENTS
and we see examples of this type of building in the
Balearic Islands, Sardinia, Corsica and elsewhere. In
this type of building large and irregular stones are put
It is therefore quite possible that a further smaller
together without using any mortar. An interesting
town would have been situated in the Grand Harbour
point is that though the stones used would be
area, where the warehouses and workshops
irregular, on looking at the finished work these
stones would be closely fitted. The Borg in-Nadur connected with Phoenician trading might have been
wall which can still be admired, stretches for some 80 situated.
Although no remains have been found of these
metres, attaining the height of 4 metres in some
fortifications, they must have existed. The sites
places and it is about 1.5 metres thick in average. In
chosen would have been continually in use over the
fact it is quite impressive.
ages, and therefore any remains would be either lost
As regards other sites where remains thought to
for ever, or else buried deep below many different
have been Bronze Age defended settlements were
layers. The evidence of the location of these towns
found, it is impossible to have a clear idea of how
comes from a different subject altogether - tombs.
large they were and if the building style was the same,
There has been found a great number of rock-cut
as the remains are very scant indeed.
tombs around the Rabat/Mdina area, and even on
the eastern side of Grand Harbour. The same can be
THE PHOENICIANS
said regarding the Phoenician tombs in Gozo, where
With the coming of the Phoenician trading galleys, they have been found mostly in the Rabat/Citadel
the Maltese Islands were occupied for the first time area. These tombs indirectly lead to the conclusion
by a great maritime power. It is thought that our that the main settlements could be in the vicinity, as
Islands only served as a port of call for the galleys naturally they would not be found far away from the
travelling from Phoenicia (modern Lebanon) towns.
towards the distant Phoenician colonies along the However as regards further information about the
coast of North Africa and even Spain. But with the fortifications built by the Phoenicians on the Maltese
passing of time the Phoenicians established colonies Islands, one is uncertain of ever finding any remains.
on our Islands. Since it was customary for them to Till now only tombs and their contents have given us
surround their main towns by walls, it has been an insight into Phoenician life in the Maltese Islands.
supposed that the main centres on Malta and Gozo The rest has been gathered by comparing other well-
were likewise surrounded. documented Phoenician colonies with our Islands.
The main town in Malta was situated in the Rabat
and Mdina area. While that of Gozo was where today
THE CARTHAGINIANS
there is Rabat and possibly the Citadel. Both of these
towns were fortified and it is also interesting to note One of the main Phoenician colonies on the North
that both of these centres were situated away from African coast, was the city of Carthage, founded
the harbours, where there would have been activity. between 813-814 B.C. With the passing of a few

23
years this city soon began to establish its own
colonies, and in time took control of the western part
SKETCH ~HOWIN& THE
of the Phoenician colonies. The Maltese Islands
IMIT~ Of MELITA,
passed under the control of the Carthaginians as
well. HE ROMA FOR riFlED (I fY
Being also connected with trading, the
Carthaginians continued making use of our natural
well-sheltered harbours. At the same time they were
more concerned with keeping an eye on the Greeks,
with whom they were fighting for the control of
Sicily. It is not known in what capacity the Maltese
Islands were made use of by the Carthaginians in
their struggle against the Greeks. Probably the
Phoenician towns continued being important centres
on the Islands, and consequently all existing fortific-
ations on the Islands must have been kept in good
condition.
But the people that were to take the Maltese
Islands from the Carthaginians were not the Greeks
but the Romans. Between these two powers, three
wars were fought. They are known as the Punic Wars
and because of these wars the Maltese Islands were
involved in the first two. During the First Punic War,
in 257 B.C. our Islands were attacked by a Roman
army. It seems, though, that the Romans had only
thought of a punitive raid on the Islands, because
soon after the Carthaginians were again in
command.
It was during the Second Punic War, in 218 B.C., St. Paul's Church and Grotto
that our Islands were truly invaded by the Romans. Roman Villa Museum
Gheriexem Valley
The Roman Consul, Titus Sempronius Longus, after Saqqaja
taking the city of Syracuse, crossed over to Malta and The old limits of the walls of Melita,
the Carthaginian garrison surrendered. It is not the Roman capital town.
known for certain whether Harnilcar bin Gisco, the
Carthaginian commander, surrendered immediately
to the Romans, or after defending the islands. But
what is most interesting is that Hamilcar bin Gisco
THE ROMANS
had a garrison amounting to nearly 2000 soldiers.
When compared with the number of soldiers Throughout the Roman period, the Maltest
stationed in the "castrum maris" (present-day Fort Islands generally fared well. The inhabitants were
St. Angelo) during the Aragonese period, when only well-treated, and some Maltese became men of
150 soldiers were stationed there, this number seems influence. Being also in the middle of the Mediter-
to be quite high. The probability therefore is that a ranean Sea which was bordered by territories
Carthaginian force was being gathered in Malta, so occupied by the Romans, the Maltese Islands did not
that they could sail to help their Syracusan allies. But retain their previous military importance. This does
the Romans arrived before any help could be sent. It not mean that the defence of the Islands was
could also be that after the fall of Syracuse a great neglected. It should be remembered that it was a
number of soldiers loyal to their Carthaginian custom in those times that main towns should be
masters, could have escaped to Malta. That could fortified. Take for example the city of Rome, the
have been why there was such a great number of centre of the Roman Empire. Although it was so far
soldiers in Malta. away from any enemy-held territory, it was fortified .
Regarding other defences that might have been Therefore the fortified towns that the Romans found
built by the Carthaginians there is no information at on these Islands, must have been appreciated.
all, neither through documentation nor through In fact, one may say, that they would have been
archaeological remains. It is not known therefore if rebuilt in the Roman style. As already noted, the
they had built any coastal defences, or any other main towns of Malta and Gozo which were
outworks to help the principal fortified towns. surrounded by a wall, were not the cities that we

24
know today. The main town in Malta was Melita. In Gozo some archaeological finds are thought to
Besides including Mdina of today, its walls used to indicate the ruins of Roman towers. From the scanty
follow the road to Saqqajja, meandering to where St. remains it is very difficult that certain details could
Paul's Parish church is today, then continued on their be known and therefore it is not possible to know if
way to the Gheriexem valley, along the ridge until these remains correspond with the Maltese round
they connected with the present-day Mdina. It is towers.
interesting to note that the Museum of Roman The end of the Roman era was probably in the 5th
Antiquities, where the remains of a town house were century, when the Vandals began their attacks on
found, was situated within the city walls. Sicily and southern Italy. It is thought that during
The same may be said of the main town of Gozo, this time the Maltese Islands were also occupied by the
known as Gaulos. The town consisted of the present- Vandals. Then when the Vandal territory passed onto
day Citadel, and a good part of the town of Rabat the Ostrogoths, there was another change in the
within its precincts. In fact finds dating to Roman rulers of these Islands. During this period nothing of
times have been found in Vajringa Street which are importance was built or done. The Islands probably
thought to have been part of the town walls. continued with their routine and only felt the
What other fortifications could there have been changing of powers.
during the Roman period? The Greek writer,
Ptolemy, who lived in the second century A.D.,
wrote that there was more than one city in Malta. THE BYZANTINES
He also mentions that there was a city in the Grand The Ostrogoth rule was not a long one. Possibly by
Harbour area. One immediately remembers that even the year 535 the Maltese Islands were under the rule
the Phoenicians could have had a town of some of the Eastern Roman (or Byzantine) Empire.
importance in that area and therefore it was quite Regarding this period no documents and no
possible that the Romans utilized the same town to archaeological remains have been found and
suit their own purposes. Although a Phoenician city therefore although this era covers more than three
would have been surrounded by walls, the Roman hundred years, it is not possible to know the state of
one could have been only a minor one, and therefore the Islands then. Our only information regarding the
need not have been fortified. In any case, this town defences is derived from a Byzantine coin found in
could have also had at least a small fort to defend our Islands.
Grand Harbour. Inscribed on this coin there are two words "droun-
Besides all this, during the Roman period there was garios" and "archon" which can give us an indic-
also a number of fortifications built independently of ation of the military state of the Islands. This coin
the main ones. Remains have been found in both has been dated between the years 750 and 850 and
islands. Although the remains found in Malta are therefore any information derived would only be
very informative, those found in Gozo are not. indicative of what the state of the Islands was during
In Malta six individual sites have been confirmed the last hundred years of Byzantine rule. Scholars do
as bearing the remains of round Roman towers. These not agree as to what these two words mean. It is
are Ta' Wilga, limits of Mqabba; ta' Gawhar, limits probable however that the word "droungarios"
of Safi; tal-Baqqari, limits of Zurrieq; ta' Cieda, means a battalion commander, while the word
limits of Msierah; Tas-Santi and Ghajn Klieb, limits "archon" means a governor. Therefore it could be
of Rabat. The best preserved of all these remains is concluded that in Malta there was a military com-
that of Ta' Gawhar. Like all the others, this round mander with a battalion of between 1000 and 3000
tower was possibly built during the third century. It men, who also occupied the seat of governor of the
has been suggested that the reason for these towers Islands. This same situation also occurred during the
was the incursions of the Heruli people into the British period in Malta.
Mediterranean from the Black Sea. Ta' Gawhar The Byzantines would have also continued using
tower has an average thickness (of the walls) of 2.5 the main fortified towns of the two Islands and
metres, while at some parts the remains reach up to 5 possibly even those round towers. Regarding new
metres. It was built only for watch duty purposes, fortifications, the only indications are of some crude
because it would not have been possible to resist an ones at Tas-Silg near Marsaxlokk. These were greatly
invader from such a tower. utilized during the last years of the Byzantine rule in
If one was to consider the sites of these six towers it Malta, against the marauding Arabs. Byzantine rule
becomes quite clear that they were built so that they ended in Malta either in 869 or in 870 A.D.
could give the alarm of an approaching enemy to the
garrison in Melita. While three of these towers Vincent Zammit
guarded the southern approach to the city, the others
guarded the northern and eastern part. (to be continued)

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