Estudio de las fortificaciones italianas de época moderna. El retro tierra cultural de los ingenieros militares Antonelli, activos en Panamá

Abstract

The wars that were fought in Italy during the first half of the 16th Century were the scene of a radical
change in regards of military strategies used until then. The improvement of artillery, especially
of cannons, was lethal to fortifications of the period. Italian architects and engineers of the time,
had to experiment new defensive solutions that led them to the fronte bastianato system, that allowed
to counter the technological progress of weapons. Due to this conditions, Italian technicians who
were in formation during this period become depositories of a new technical knowledge of defensive
structures constructions. hese new modalities of construction were disseminated by the means of
treaties with other countries. In a short time, the fronte bastiano was exported to Europe—where it
was known as tracé á l’italienne—and to its overseas colonies, including the Caribbean and Panama.
Among the technicians that were formed in this context, ant who export their knowledge, we find
the Antonelli de Gateo family: Giovanni Battista, Battista y Cristoforo Rota. hey project and make
several fortifications in Spain and in America, at the service of Spanish kings. These fortifications
include defensive constructions in Panamá, at the end of the 16th Century. Their work include
manuscripts by Giovanni Bastita Antonelli—Epitomi delle Fortiicationi moderne, Epitomi del Trattato
dell’Artiglieria and Epitomi della manera di allogiare un campo—that represent and interesting compendium
about the knowledge in cose d’arme of the time.