War in Ancient India c9.s3.14

c9.s3.14

Some of the *Dharmaśāstras* also throw light on the kind and use of fortresses in general. Manu,⁴⁵ says, “that the king should find his residence in a well guarded fort either surrounded by deserts, forests or water.” The best is, indeed, the hill-fortress.⁴⁶ The importance of citadels is well brought out by Manu in the succeeding stanzas. Standing behind the battlements of the citadel one bowman could easily withstand one hundred bowmen and one hundred bowmen ten thousand bowmen.⁴⁷ A king was thus enabled to defend his capital against great odds with the aid of a few able archers and warriors. As a source of great defence, fortifications were a valuable feature of ancient states. But the existence of mere fortresses would not produce the intended effect. So Manu ordains that they should be garrisoned with a large equipment of soldiers, engines and water-supply. Without an ample provision of these things any amount of defence would be neither adequate nor efficient.