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Instructor Helps
You may want to help the students try to get a feel for what
life was like as a soldier at an ancient fort. This scenario
goes a little beyond the scope of the article but incorporates
all the items discussed here.
You are a
soldier in the Moabite army and have just been assigned
as commander to a fortress guarding a desert pass. The
fortress is relatively rectangular with a tower on each
corner, one tower at the midpoint in each wall, and two
towers flanking the only city gate located at the
midpoint of one wall (nine towers in all). Rainfall
amounts in this area are less than 20 cm a year with
most of this rain falling within a few weeks. Some food
can be grown locally, if there is good, even rainfall
that allows for agriculture that year. Otherwise, food
must be purchased and brought from a village two
kilometers away. Your new post is on a hill and there
are no local wells. The walls have a few small holes in
them, but large enough for people to pass single-file.
The gate needs repair. Your armory is well supplied with
weapons—bows and arrows, spears, swords, daggers, slings
and sling stones, and even a catapult that can throw up
to 200 kilograms of large stones. Your intelligence from
higher command says enemy forces may be in the area.
This enemy has attacked fortresses in the area in the
recent past. Your orders are to protect the pass from
enemy invasion, and protect the fortress. Higher command
also wants you to be sympathetic toward the villagers of
nearby villages if an attack occurs. There is another
fortress with Moabite troops in sight about three
kilometers away.
Questions for discussion:
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What is/are your priority(s)?
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How do you store food and water?
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How important is repairing the
fortifications?
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How important are water sources and
supplies for the basic human needs?
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How important is conducting patrols?
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How do you communicate with your
patrols from your fortress?
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How will you be “sympathetic” to the
villagers if an attack on the region occurs?
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Will you share food and water with
villagers, even though this will decrease your supply
and your ability to survive a siege?
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If you have 100 soldiers at your
command, how do you deploy your forces during a siege?
(Remember you need an around the clock watch!)
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How do you communicate with the other
Moabite fortress?
Terry W. Eddinger
Email: twe1@infionline.net
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