bulwark
noun
a wall of earth or other material built for defense; rampart.
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Emerging in every generation, they have bulwarked their land against the fate of Babylon and Egypt.
From Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda