V Summary

A fortified landscape characterized by urban, rural, and agricultural structures emerged in the Dougga region during the 6th and 7th centuries, reflecting adaptive strategies of local populations, elites, military forces, and provincial administrations amid social and military transformations. This study reveals that fortifications, including military fortresses, town walls, and smaller rural strongholds, were integral to the region's geopolitical significance as a transit route, serving multifunctional roles such as refuge, protection, communication, and agricultural processing. Built primarily with reused Roman Imperial materials, these structures underscore the economic power of urban centers in Byzantine times and highlight the heterogeneous distribution of fortifications, particularly in remote rural settlements. The research draws on systematic landscape analysis, combining data from the Rus Africum Survey, archaeological mapping, and field campaigns conducted between 2022 and 2023.

(Ed.). (2025). V Summary. Africam Defendere, 299–300. https://doi.org/10.14220/9783737019057.299