The Celtic camp of La Bure, located in Lorraine, France, is one of the many fortified hilltop sites bordering the Upper Meurthe Valley. The plateau, now covered by forest, is shared between the communes of Saint-Dié-des-Vosges and Hurbache, at the western edge of the Ormont massif.
This hilltop settlement, of the 'spur' type, fortified to the east, is situated on a sandstone promontory overlooking the Meurthe Valley by more than 200 meters. It was intensely occupied during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, particularly at the end of the second Iron Age and the period of Gallic independence, as well as throughout most of the Roman period, from the 2nd to the 4th century AD. The site's occupation dates back at least to the Late Neolithic, as evidenced by numerous stone artifacts made from flint, such as chisels, scrapers, blades, arrowheads, and polished axes crafted from other materials.
A few shards of green-glazed pottery are believed to date from the Middle Ages. This archaeological collection is stored and partially displayed in the archaeological section of the Pierre-Noël Museum in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, where a model of the entire site can also be seen.
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.