"Entre filón de Bizancio y la arqueología". La reconstrucción virtual del sistema defensivo púnico-helenístico del yacimiento "Castillo de Doña Blanca" (El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, España)

Abstract

[EN] This study presents the virtual reconstruction of the Punic-Hellenistic defensive system of Doña Blanca Castle (CBD) through the use of virtual archaeology, which has allowed considerable progress to be made in the understanding of the polyorcetic techniques of this chronology in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. The application of new technologies such as geo-referenced digital photogrammetry and 3D architectural modelling has been key in the detailed documentation of the settlement's defensive structures. This approach has revealed a modular design and planning common to other contemporary fortifications, suggesting a high level of military organisation and strategy in this key settlement during the Second Roman-Carthaginian War. The main contribution of this study is the reconstructive hypothesis of the defensive system of the CBD, which has improved the understanding of Punic-Hellenistic fortification in the Iberian Peninsula. Thanks to this analysis, common planning patterns have been identified in this type of military construction, revealing a modular design and functionality in the defensive organisation. Among the most outstanding elements of this reconstruction is the finding of the existence of postern gate, i.e. openings that would have been used to allow the exit or entry of defensive troops, thus carrying out an active defence of the fortification. This characteristic reinforces the idea of strategic military planning, where each component of the defensive system was aimed at improving the site's protection capacity in a war context. The linking of the overall structure of the fortification with the artillery torsion machines typical of the period has also been a revealing perspective, as it shows that the builders were not only thinking of passive defences (walls and towers), but also of the active use of advanced military devices for the defence of the settlement. Another crucial aspect of the study is the use of classical sources, such as the writings of Philo of Byzantium, which have been instrumental in the development of reconstructive hypotheses. Ancient treatises offer a valuable perspective that helps to guide the interpretation of archaeological finds, providing a theoretical framework for understanding how these defensive systems were organised and functioned in Antiquity. Philo of Byzantium, in particular, was an expert in fortifications and poliorcetic, and his descriptions of artillery machines and fortification elements have allowed comparison of the structures exhumed in the CBD with other fortifications of the same period. The virtual reconstruction and detailed analysis of the defensive system of the CBD has been possible thanks to the implementation of virtual archaeology, which has allowed us to generate our own methodology and workflow. The analysis, study and dissemination of the results have improved the transfer of knowledge to the specialised public and society in general. Virtual a

[ES] En este estudio se presenta la reconstrucción virtual del sistema defensivo del Castillo de Doña Blanca (CDB) a través de la aplicación de la arqueología virtual, lo que ha permitido avanzar significativamente en la comprensión de las técnicas poliorcéticas púnico-helenísticas en el sur de la península Ibérica. Este enfoque innovador ha sido clave para el estudio de esta fortificación, contribuyendo a generar nuevas interpretaciones tras más de 20 años de inactividad científica en el yacimiento. La implementación de nuevas tecnologías en la documentación, análisis y visualización de datos ha desempeñado un papel crucial en este proceso. Entre estas tecnologías, destacan la fotogrametría digital georreferenciada y la modelización arquitectónica en 3D, que han sido fundamentales para la reconstrucción detallada de los elementos defensivos exhumados, revelando aspectos inéditos del sistema defensivo. La constatación de la existencia de poternas, así como la vinculación de la estructura general de la fortificación con las máquinas de artillería características de esta época sugiere una gran planificación militar de este asentamiento estratégico durante la Segunda Guerra Romano-Cartaginesa. Además, nuestro estudio pone de manifiesto la importancia de las fuentes clásicas en el desarrollo de las hipótesis reconstructivas. Tratadistas militares antiguos como Filón de Bizancio han sido esenciales para definir la interpretación de las estructuras defensivas, ofreciendo un marco teórico para la misma. A pesar de estos avances, el estudio enfatiza la necesidad de continuar investigando y comparando el CDB con otros yacimientos arqueológicos, con el objetivo de enriquecer el conocimiento general sobre la poliorcética fenicio-púnica. La comparación con otras estructuras defensivas puede proporcionar un contexto histórico de conjunto, enriqueciendo las hipótesis actuales y profundizando en la comprensión de la estrategia militar en la bahía de Cádiz en época helenística o bárquida.