How Spanish coastal towers helped defend southern Italy

Were Spain's sixteenth- and seventeenth-century warning towers in southern Italy worth their cost?

They provided useful warning when nearby forces could respond, but the speakers disagree about how far they helped defeat Ottoman invasions as distinct from Barbary raids.

The towers warned of ships approaching southern Italy and Sicily, but their contribution to defeating major Ottoman attacks is disputed in the exchange. One view credits the warning network with helping information reach a Spanish fleet commander. Foxo stresses its role against Barbary slave raids and distinguishes deterring raiders from stopping a large invasion. The participants also disagree about how directly the Barbary states' loose Ottoman ties connect the two threats. They agree that an alarm helps only when someone nearby can act on it, and that even a day's warning can give local authorities time to respond.