Protection and Control: Middle Bronze Age Fortified Settlements in the Benta Valley, Hungary

Fortified settlements can be useful components in the exercise and protection of political power. "ey are not only important when defending against other societies, but also useful for asserting control within society. "is paper explores the political economy and relationship between open and fortified settlements belonging to the Middle Bronze Age Vatya tell-culture in the Benta valley in Hungary with focus on local defensive needs, how defence was organised, and how military means and fortified settlements could be employed in strategies to control a political entity comprising of several settlements and a population in the low thousands.