Rammas Echor
| Rammas Echor | |
|---|---|
| Wall | |
 | |
| Rammas Echor from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003 video game) | |
| General Information | |
| Other names | The Rammas |
| Location | Eastern Gondor |
| Type | Wall |
| Description | A wall around the Pelennor Fields |
| History | |
| Created | between T.A. 2953 and 2984 |
| Destroyed | 15 March T.A. 3019 |
| Events | Battle of the Pelennor Fields |
| Gallery | Images of Rammas Echor |
- "Foam dyed with blood flamed at sunset;
as beacons mountains burned at evening;
red fell the dew in Rammas Echor." - ― Song of the Mounds of Mundburg[1]
The Rammas Echor was the great wall that surrounded the Pelennor Fields. It was one of the defensive works of Minas Tirith.
Description[edit]
It was a great wall, over 10 leagues in length, encircling the hitherto defenceless townlands of the city. At its furthest point, it was four leagues from the Great Gate. There were three main gates to the Pelennor; north, east and south.[2] The eastern gate and accompanying watch-towers were known as the Causeway Forts[3] and were the strongest section. It looked out over the road to Osgiliath and the banks of the Anduin. On the southern end, at Harlond, the wall was only one league from the city.[2]
History[edit]
This outer defence-work of the city of Minas Tirith was built after Ithilien fell under the shadow of the Enemy, probably during the stewardship of Ecthelion II as part of the defences of Gondor, which had become necessary after the final loss of Ithilien in T.A. 2954.[4] It partly fell into ruin, but was repaired on the order of Steward Denethor II.[2]
The Rammas was easily breached by the armies of Sauron under their Black Captain on 13 March 3019. Denethor II had put little guard on the Northern end,[2] and the Causeway Forts were taken by the enemy at great loss.[3]
Etymology[edit]
Rammas Echor is a Sindarin name. It means "great wall of the outer circle".[5] It is a compound of rammas ("great wall") and echor ("outer circle").[6] The name therefore literally means "Great-wall outer circle".[7]
Portrayal in adaptations[edit]
2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King:
- The Rammas Echor does not appear, but it is mentioned by Théoden, who tells Grimbold to take his company right, "after you pass the Wall."[8]
2004: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game):
- The Southern Gate of the Rammas Echor is a mission in the Path of the King. The objective for the player - Aragorn, Gimli or Legolas - to take the gate. This can only be achieved by destroying a tower, and using the rubble to take the wall.[9]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Siege of Gondor"
- ↑ Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 546
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", entry echor
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 512
- ↑ Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, p. 325, entry "Rammas Echor"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, "The Ride of the Rohirrim"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game), "The Southern Gate"
