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Places in Middle-earth

South Road, The

Type: Roads, Lanes, Ways

Region: Gondor

Location: The main road southwest from Minas Tirith to the southern vales of Gondor.

Description:
Table of Contents:

Description
History

Description
Pippin could see all the Pelennor laid out before him.... Many roads and tracks crossed the green fields, and there was much coming and going ... But most of the traffic went out along the chief highway, and that turned south, and then bending swifter than the River skirted the hills and passed soon from sight. It was wide and well-paved, and along its eastern edge ran a broad green riding-track, and beyond that a wall. ...

'That is the road to the vales of Tumladen and Lossarnach, and the mountain-villages, and then on to Lebennin,' said Beregond.

The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 1, Minas Tirith


History
[1447, during the Kin-strife:]
Eldacar, seeing his time, came with a great army out of the north.... There was a great battle in Lebennin at the Crossings of Erui, in which much of the best blood in Gondor was shed. Eldacar himself slew Castamir [the Usurper] in combat ... but Castamir's sons escaped, and ... held out long at Pelargir.

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion

[Spring 2759 III, when Gondor sends aid after the Invasion of Rohan from West and East:]
Soon after the winter broke. ... there came help at last from Gondor, by the roads both east and west of the mountains. Before the year (2759) was ended the Dunlendings were driven out....

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: The House of Eorl

[9 March 3019, the evacuation of noncombatants before the Siege of Minas Tirith:]
... all the street seemed to be choked with great covered wains going south. But soon Pippin saw that all was in fact well-ordered: the wains were moving in three lines, one swifter drawn by horses; another slower, great waggons with fair housings of many colours, drawn by oxen; and along the west rim of the road many smaller carts hauled by trudging men.

'There go the last of the wains that bear away to refuge the aged, the children, and the women that must go with them. They must all be gone from the Gate and the road clear for a league before noon: that was the order. It is a sad necessity.' He sighed. 'Few, maybe, of those now sundered will meet again. And there were always too few children in this city; but now there are none -- save some young lads that will not depart, and may find some task to do: my own son is one of them.'

The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 1, Minas Tirith

[9 March 3019, reinforcements arrive to defend the City:]
Bergil clapped his hands ... 'Come then! We were soon going to the Gate to look on. ... The Captains of the Outlands are expected up the South Road ere sundown.' ...

Beyond the Gate there was a crowd of men along the verge of the road and of the great paved space into which all the ways to Minas Tirith ran. All eyes were turned southwards ...

'Forlong has come,' Bergil [said]; 'old Forlong the Fat, the Lord of Lossarnach.' ...

And so the companies came and were hailed and cheered and passed through the Gate, men of the Outlands marching to defend the City of Gondor in a dark hour; but always too few ... [From] Ringló Vale ... Morthond, the great Blackroot Vale ... the Anfalas ... Lamedon, ... Ethir [Anduin], ... Pinnath Gelin ... And ... Dol Amroth....

And that was all, less than three thousands full told. No more would come. Their cries and the tramp of their feet passed into the City and died away.

The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 1, Minas Tirith

Contributors: Elena Tiriel 2Oct04, 17Dec04

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