The word is from the late medieval, derived from the classical Latin post murum (“behind the wall”).Īn external pomoerium, stripped of bushes and building, gave defenders a clear view of what was happening outside and an unobstructed field of shot. This was a strip of clear ground immediately adjacent the wall. In many cases, the wall would have had an internal and an external pomoerium.
This would have been the pattern of events in the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw in England.
Especially where stone was readily available for building, the wood will have been replaced by stone to a higher or lower standard of security.
In northern Europe, early in the period, walls were likely to have been constructed of wood and proofed against small forces. Walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia / Photo by Romanceor, Wikimedia CommonsĪn exact nature of the walls of a medieval town or city would depend on the resources available for building them, the nature of the terrain, and the perceived threat.
