Towers and Fortifications at Vayia in the Southeast Corinthia

by William R. Caraher, David K. Pettegrew, and Sarah James

Hesperia, Volume 79, Issue 3
Page(s): 385-415
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40981055
Year: 2010
VIEW ONLINE

ABSTRACT:

Although rural towers have long been central to the discussion of the fortified landscapes of Classical and Hellenistic Greece, the Corinthia has rarely figured in the conversation, despite the historical significance of exurban fortifications for the territory. The authors of this article report on the recent investigation by the Eastern Korinthia Archaeological Survey of two towers and associated fortifications in the region of Vayia in the southeast Corinthia. By integrating topographic study, intensive survey, and architectural analysis, they suggest that these three sites served to guard an economically productive stretch of the Corinthian countryside and to protect—or block—major maritime and land routes into the region.