Ithilien, Moon Over Gondor - Page 3
© Michael Martinez
Minas Anor and Minas Ithil would have been little more than colonies in the first years, but their rise in importance as the secondary cities of the kings implies they must have been constantly reinforced by new settlers. The colonists must have come from Pelargir, Lebennin, and Belfalas. Isildur and Anarion's handful of ships could not have brought enough people from Numenor to populate three cities, let alone the fortresses which were eventually established in Calenardhon at Orthanc and Aglarond. It may be that many of the Faithful who fled Numenor in its last years had settled near Pelargir and were seeking new lands anyway.
The presence of two cities on Ithilien's borders strongly implies there were many more people living in the countryside. The people in the cities had to eat, and most of the food probably came from farms and plantations. These resources most likely accumulated along the roads that the Dunedain built throughout Ithilien, only two of which are mentioned in the Third Age the highway leading from Osgiliath to Minas Ithil and the north-south road which skirted the Ephel Duath.
The base of Ithilien's population had to be the farmers. There would have been Dunedain, Men of mixed blood, and men not of Dunadan extraction at all. Most of the farms probably lay in South Ithilien, which appears to have been less densely wooded than northern Ithilien. A few hardy souls probably migrated north, but the expansion must have followed the strategic placements of the cities and fortresses. Aglarond and Orthanc appear to have been used to keep Gwathuirim in Enedwaith from harrassing the Calenardhon colonists, but they also ensured that Gondor controlled the gap between the Ered Hithui and the Ered Nimrais.
When Sauron revealed he had returned to life by attacking Gondor, he moved first against Minas Ithil. Although this was Isildur's home city, the strategic reason for taking Minas Ithil was to remove a base of operations which could be used against Mordor. Despite the fact that Minas Ithil fell quickly to the first assault, it should be regarded as a city with an army. Isildur simply didn't expect Sauron to come raging out of Mordor. He had no reason to, since Sauron had gone down with Numenor. Maiar normally didn't come back to life that way. But Minas Ithil was built to be a threat to Mordor, and it was clearly perceived as one. So Sauron probably brought overwhelming force against the city.
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