The Challenges for Urban Warfare in the 21st Century?

Humankind has been engaging in warfare since the dawn of civilisation. The birth of the infantry can be dated back to 600-350 BC when the success of sophisticated, intense, irrigated forms of agriculture sweeping across the plains of Egypt and the Near East meant that a sizeable group of men could divert their attention towards moulding metals into weapons and raising horses to draw chariots. However, it was not just the metals and horses that resulted in the inauguration of the infantry. Rather, it was the complex socio-economic way of life evolving around these settlements that resulted in the need for an infantry ; to defend the town these settlers were a part of or to annex other lands. This was evident for Rome during the third century BC, when it began to expand its territory, against the Greeks and Macedonians towards the east and against the Carthage towards the west and south. Moreover, the three Punic Wars proved that the Roman military infrastructure was well organised and superior to the point that even the relatively smaller infantries could win wars if these wars took place in or around Italy . Essentially, the cities of Italy were paramount to the infantry and its success. Thus, towns and cities have always been crucial plots in warfare.