What Strategic Costs Resulted from Abandoning Fortified Settlements? Throughout history, fortified settlements—walled cities, hilltop forts, citadels, and defensive strongholds—served as critical anchors of political power, military security, and economic stability. From the ancient fortifications of Mycenae to the defensive walls of Constantinople and the Great Wall of China, fortified settlements … Continue reading What strategic costs resulted from abandoning fortified settlements?