DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1021#0058
THE FORTRESS-CITY 21
Achilles' quarters in the camp at Troy 1 took a bar like this
(say 15 feet long and 6| inches in diameter), it is no wonder
it required three Achaeans to ram it home.
Nearly opposite the main entrance, on the west side
of the citadel, there was found in 1884 an entrance
scarcely less important (T). This is a postern postern and
gate, in a semicircular projection of the wall. rockstairs
It is 6|- feet wide, and communicates with a stone stair-
way leading up to the Middle Citadel and thence to the
rear of' the palace. The first 20 steps of this staircase are
cut in the living rock, and in all 65 steps are preserved.
This gate and staircase served partly to facilitate commu-
nication between the acropolis and the lower city, partly as
a sally-port in case of siege, and its construction rendered
it absolutely impregnable. A similar staircase has been dis-
covered in the north side of the Acropolis of Athens, near
the scanty remains of a palace contemporary with those of
Mycenae and Tiryns. In addition to these two entrances,
there were two others, — a postern entering the middle
citadel on the west and another to the lower citadel on the
north.
But the most remarkable, if not the unique, feature of the
fortress architecture at Tiryns is the galleries. There are
two of them, one in the south wall, the other in
the southernmost section of the east wall, with a
staircase leading down to each; but of these staircases the
one leading to the southern gallery (D) alone remains.
This staircase ends in a narrow corridor (C) upon which
open five chambers (BB). The other gallery is composed
of a similar corridor and six chambers. The chambers and
corridors are vaulted in the Mycenaean manner; that is
to say, above a given height (say 6 feet) the stones of the
1 Iliad, xxiv. 450 if.
Achilles' quarters in the camp at Troy 1 took a bar like this
(say 15 feet long and 6| inches in diameter), it is no wonder
it required three Achaeans to ram it home.
Nearly opposite the main entrance, on the west side
of the citadel, there was found in 1884 an entrance
scarcely less important (T). This is a postern postern and
gate, in a semicircular projection of the wall. rockstairs
It is 6|- feet wide, and communicates with a stone stair-
way leading up to the Middle Citadel and thence to the
rear of' the palace. The first 20 steps of this staircase are
cut in the living rock, and in all 65 steps are preserved.
This gate and staircase served partly to facilitate commu-
nication between the acropolis and the lower city, partly as
a sally-port in case of siege, and its construction rendered
it absolutely impregnable. A similar staircase has been dis-
covered in the north side of the Acropolis of Athens, near
the scanty remains of a palace contemporary with those of
Mycenae and Tiryns. In addition to these two entrances,
there were two others, — a postern entering the middle
citadel on the west and another to the lower citadel on the
north.
But the most remarkable, if not the unique, feature of the
fortress architecture at Tiryns is the galleries. There are
two of them, one in the south wall, the other in
the southernmost section of the east wall, with a
staircase leading down to each; but of these staircases the
one leading to the southern gallery (D) alone remains.
This staircase ends in a narrow corridor (C) upon which
open five chambers (BB). The other gallery is composed
of a similar corridor and six chambers. The chambers and
corridors are vaulted in the Mycenaean manner; that is
to say, above a given height (say 6 feet) the stones of the
1 Iliad, xxiv. 450 if.