Rola protejchizmy w fortyfikacjach Azji Środkowej

Abstrakt

Wraz z podbojem Imperium Achemienidzkiego przez wojska Aleksandra Wielkiego zmienia się całkowicie rzeczywistość polityczna na terenie całego Bliskiego Wschodu i w Azji Środkowej. Wydawać by się mogło, że w następstwie tych wydarzeń nastąpiła szybka hellenizacja tych terenów. Jednym z elementów świadczącym o tym, iż proces ten miał się rozpocząć, mogłoby być pojawienie się w architekturze Azji Srodkowej cech charakterystycznych dla greckiej architektury defensywnej, takich jak na przykład protejchizma. Można by sądzić, iż w takich organizmach państwowych, jak choćby w państwie Greków Baktryjskich, musiały powstać budowle obronne, a nawet jeżeli nie budowano nowych, to już istniejące fortyfikacje wymagały napraw, modernizacji i dostosowania ich do standardów greckich.<br>THE PROTEJCHIZMA CONSTRUCTIONS IN CENTRAL ASIA. The political situation in the Near East and in the Central Asia was radically transformed by the conquest of Alexander the Great and we can assume that the hellenisation of the region commenced during this period. One of elements, which could be related with that process, was the construction of protejchisma. These structures were erected in Hellenistic fortifications and only four examples survive in central Asia: Hazarasp in Choresmia, from Kesh situated south from Samarkand, from Karabeg Tepe located in the middle stream of Surkan Daria, and from Shahr-i Banu situated east from Mazar-e Sharif. The protejchizma appeared in central Asia at the same time as the Greeks who arrived with Alexander's army. However, their use in central Asia differed slightly from Greece, where its main role was to protect fortifications against heavy siege weapons such as battering rams. Bearing in mind the specific geographical conditions and the nature of warfare in Central Asia, the use these constructions as the first line of defence seems justified. During this period in central Asia even large armies had no heavy siege weapons, and the protejchisma constructions protected against infantry or cavalry attacks. Consequently, the constructions played a supporting but critical role. They were built not only as a passive line of defence. Active defense could be conducted from behind a protejchisma, with essential support from the main defensive wall.