page_title: Punic-Roman towers in Malta
section_title: Architecture, age and purpose
hierarchical_section_title: Punic-Roman towers in Malta / Architecture, age and purpose
caption_attribution_description: English: Ta Cieda Roman Tower, San Gwann
context_page_description: The remains of six Punic-Roman towers have been identified in Malta. They are believed to have been built while the island was part of the Punic or Roman Empires. Their architecture suggests a late Punic origin, and they remained in use throughout the Roman period, until at least the 3rd century AD. Evidence suggest that the towers were used to defend the island. The towers are clearly all built on high grounds, in specific locations, and could considerably communicate with signals from one to another. Similar towers are also found in nearby Tunisia with the same defensive system. In the context of time some locals still lived in caves with few others living in vernacular housing with similar characteristics to nearby Sicily.
  The towers are generally held to be built during the Punic era and embellished by the Romans. Roman and Greek housing were constructed much later and generally not in the proximity to the towers which suggests that by the time the towers may have decreased their importance with the use of other military system such as the fortifications of Melite. However the last time when the towers were burned, to send signals, was in the third century AD.
context_section_description: All six towers have a round shape, and were built out of large ashlar blocks, typical of late Punic buildings. Ancient cisterns have been found at the towers of Ta' Ġawhar and Ta' Ċieda.
  The age and purpose of the towers is not exactly known. Although some theories suggest that the towers are prehistoric, it is generally believed that they date back to the late Punic period, as evidenced by their architecture as well as by pottery and other artefacts uncovered at Ta' Wilġa and Ta' Ġawhar. A Phoenician tomb was also found close to Ta' Wilġa Tower. Ta' Ġawhar Tower is believed to have been burnt twice, initially during the First Punic War and again in around the 3rd century AD. Coins dating back to 35 BC and the 3rd century AD have been found at Ta' Ġawhar, along with an iron ace and a gold earring. This shows that the towers were definitely in use during the Roman period. Several theories have been suggested as to the purpose of the towers:
  According to Professor A. Bonanno, the towers might have been built by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century BC, to defend the island from a Roman attack during the Punic Wars.
  They might have been built to warn the garrison of the city of Melita of an approaching enemy, but some disagree saying that their locations do not make sense in defensive systems.
  They might have been located in hamlets, surrounding and defending a large settlement in the Żurrieq-Safi area.
  They might have been built near villas to guard olive estates, but no remains of villas have been found in the vicinity of any of the towers.
  At one point there were over thirty Roman villas in rural areas of which most remains were for most of them demolished for modern housing while others lie abandoned, buried and some have limited remains.
  They might have been built to protect Malta from an attack by the Heruli people.
  The towers are believed to have been abandoned in around the 3rd century AD.
caption: Remains of the base of Ta' Ċieda Tower in San Ġwann
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