Chapter 11

We have already mentioned, that both the city and all the country should communicate both with the sea and the continent as much as possible. There are these four things which we should be particularly desirous of in the position of the city with respect to itself: in the first place, health is to be consulted as the first thing necessary: now a city which fronts the east and receives the winds which blow from thence is esteemed most healthful; next to this that which has a northern position is to be preferred, as best in winter. It should next be contrived that it may have a proper situation for the business of government and for defence in war: that in war the citizens may [1330b] have easy access to it; but that it may be difficult of access to, and hardly to be taken by, the enemy. In the next place particularly, that there may be plenty of water, and rivers near at hand: but if those cannot be found, very large cisterns must be prepared to save rain-water, so that there may be no want of it in case they should be driven into the town in time of war. And as great care should be taken of the health of the inhabitants, the first thing to be attended to is, that the city should have a good situation and a good position; the second is, that they may have good water to drink; and this not be negligently taken care of; for what we chiefly and most frequently use for the support of the body must principally influence the health of it; and this influence is what the air and water naturally have: for which reason in all wise governments the waters ought to be appropriated to different purposes, and if they are not equally good, and if there is not a plenty of necessary water, that which is to drink should be separated from that which is for other uses. As to fortified places, what is proper for some governments is not proper for all; as, for instance, a lofty citadel is proper for a monarchy and an oligarchy; a city built upon a plain suits a democracy; neither of these for an aristocracy, but rather many strong places. As to the form of private houses, those are thought to be best and most useful for their different purposes which are distinct and separate from each other, and built in the modern manner, after the plan of Hippodamus: but for safety in time of war, on the contrary, they should be built as they formerly were; for they were such that strangers could not easily find their way out of them, and the method of access to them such as an enemy could with difficulty find out if he proposed to besiege them. A city therefore should have both these sorts of buildings, which may easily be contrived if any one will so regulate them as the planters do their rows of vines; not that the buildings throughout the city should be detached from each other, only in some parts of it; thus elegance and safety will be equally consulted. With respect to walls, those who say that a courageous people ought not to have any, pay too much respect to obsolete notions; particularly as we may see those who pride themselves therein continually confuted by facts. It is indeed disreputable for those who are equal, or nearly so, to the enemy, to endeavour to take refuge within their walls—but since it very often happens, that those who make the attack are too powerful for the bravery and courage of those few who oppose them to resist, if you would not suffer the calamities of war and the insolence of the enemy, it must be thought the part of a good soldier to seek for safety under the shelter and protection of walls more especially since so many missile weapons and machines have been most ingeniously invented to besiege cities with. Indeed to neglect surrounding a city with a wall would be similar to choosing a country which is easy of access to an enemy, or levelling the eminences of it; or as if an individual should not have a wall to his house lest it should be thought that the owner of it was a coward: nor should this be left unconsidered, that those who have a city surrounded with walls may act both ways, either as if it had or as if it had not; but where it has not they cannot do this. If this is true, it is not only necessary to have walls, but care must be taken that they may be a proper ornament to the city, as well as a defence in time of war; not only according to the old methods, but the modern improvements also: for as those who make offensive war endeavour by every way possible to gain advantages over their adversaries, so should those who are upon the defensive employ all the means already known, and such new ones as philosophy can invent, to defend themselves: for those who are well prepared are seldom first attacked.

We have already said that the city and the whole surrounding country should have the fullest possible access to sea and land. Four things deserve particular attention when choosing the city's location. First, health is the most basic concern. A city facing east and receiving winds from that direction is considered the healthiest. After that, a northern position is preferred, as best in winter. Next, the location should be suitable for government business and defense in war. In wartime, citizens should [1330b] have easy access to the city. But enemies should find the city difficult to enter and very hard to capture. The next particular concern is a plentiful water supply, with rivers nearby. If these cannot be found, very large cisterns must be built to collect rainwater. These should prevent shortages if the inhabitants are forced into the city during war. The inhabitants' health requires great care. The first concern is a good location and orientation for the city. The second is good drinking water, and this must not be neglected. What we use most often and depend on most to sustain our bodies must have the greatest effect on health. Air and water naturally have this influence. For this reason, all wisely governed cities should assign water supplies to different purposes. If the supplies differ in quality, and there is not enough water for essential needs, drinking water should be kept separate. As for fortified places, what suits some forms of government does not suit all. A high citadel, for example, suits a monarchy or an oligarchy. A city built on a plain suits a democracy. Neither arrangement suits an aristocracy, which is better served by several strongholds. As for private houses, separate, detached buildings are considered best and most useful for their various purposes. These follow the modern layout planned by Hippodamus. For safety during war, however, houses should be built in the old manner. The old layout made it hard for strangers to find their way out. An enemy planning a siege would also struggle to discover the routes into the houses. A city should therefore combine both layouts. This can easily be arranged by organizing the buildings as growers arrange their rows of vines. Buildings should not be detached throughout the city, but only in certain parts. This would serve both beauty and safety. Those who say that courageous people should have no city walls give too much weight to outdated ideas. Facts repeatedly prove wrong those who pride themselves on having no walls. Admittedly, people whose strength equals or nearly equals the enemy's disgrace themselves by trying to shelter behind walls. But attackers are very often too powerful for the courage and bravery of their few opponents to withstand. To avoid the disasters of war and the enemy's arrogance, seeking protection behind walls must be considered good soldiering. This is especially true now that so many ingenious missile weapons and siege engines have been invented. Neglecting to surround a city with walls would be like choosing land that enemies can easily enter. It would also be like leveling the high ground. Or it would be like refusing to wall a house for fear that its owner might seem cowardly. Another point must not be overlooked. People with a walled city can act either as though it had walls or as though it had none. People without walls have no such choice. If this is true, walls are necessary. Care must also be taken to make them an attractive feature of the city, as well as a wartime defense. Their construction should use not only older methods but modern improvements too. Attackers try every possible means of gaining an advantage over their opponents. Likewise, defenders should use every known means of defense, along with any new ones that philosophy can devise. For those who are well prepared are seldom attacked first.