gates were the weakest parts of a city’s fortifications, and all needed
protection by the city’s defence forces against enemy attack. Could
the postern have been used as a sally port for surprise counter-
attacks against a besieging force? Almost certainly not. The highly
conspicuous tunnel would have been obvious to any such force,
and in any case extended too far out from the walls for defenders
atop them to provide counter-attacking troops with coveringfire.
What do you think? Can you suggest any practical purpose the
Postern Gate might have served?
Let’s return to the rampart. From its top, at the southernmost–
and highest–part of the city, Hattusa’s entire fortification system
was on display. And this part of the system could be accessed
simply by climbing upflights of stairs at either end of the rampart.
Clearly, it was built not for defensive purposes but for show–to
impress the capital’s visitors, whether merchants, foreign dignitaries,
or travellers on any other business, with a foretaste of the city’s
grandeur and splendour.
At its greatest extent, the royal capital covered an area of
181 hectares, one of the largest cities of the ancient Near Eastern
Figure 21.3 Postern Gate, Hattusa.
204 WARRIORS OF ANATOLIA