Surrounded or enclosed by a fortification, wall, or defensive structure that goes completely around something.
From Latin circumvallatus, past participle of circumvallare (circum- 'around' + vallare 'to fortify with a rampart,' from vallum 'rampart'). The term evolved in military contexts to describe fortified positions completely enclosed by defensive works.
Roman generals used circumvallation as a siege tactic—they'd build walls around enemy cities to trap them. Archaeology reveals these ancient circumvallated sites as perfect circles of ditches and ramparts, showing how geometry and military strategy were intertwined.
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