In the year 328 AD, Emperor Constantine the Great began the transformation of Byzantium into New Rome, the future city of Constantinople. This marked the beginning of a new era. Constantine expanded the city’s borders and built strong new walls for its protection.
According to tradition, the emperor walked the boundary of his future capital with a spear in hand, personally marking the outline. When surprised officials asked how far he would go, he reportedly answered:
“Until He stops Who goes before me.”
This story shows the deep meaning Constantine gave to his work. The city’s transformation was not just political or military—it was spiritual and historical Sofia Sightseeing.
The Challenge of Identifying the City’s Boundaries
Determining the exact size of Constantine’s new city is not easy today. Some ancient descriptions are unclear, and many landmarks no longer exist. However, by comparing historical sources with modern geography, we can still form a fairly good idea of the area.
The New Land Wall and City Limits
The new land wall built by Constantine crossed the historic peninsula (promontory) of Byzantium. It was located just east of two major cisterns:
The Cistern of Mokius, near the Seventh Hill (west of Avret Bazaar).
The Cistern of Aspar, near the valley between the Fourth and Sixth Hills, along the road from the Mosque of Sultan Mehmed to the Adrianople Gate.
Where the Walls Ended
The southern end of the land wall reached the Sea of Marmara, somewhere between today’s Daoud Pasha Gate and Psamathia Gate.
The northern end reached the Golden Horn, near the area where the Stamboul end of the modern inner bridge stands.
At the same time, the old sea walls of Byzantium were repaired and extended to connect with the new land wall. This created a complete line of fortifications that surrounded Constantine’s new capital.
A New Era for an Ancient City
With these changes, Constantine turned a Greek trading colony into a Roman imperial city. It now had strong defenses, expanded territory, and the potential to become the heart of an empire. The city would later grow even larger under later emperors, but this foundation laid by Constantine was a major turning point in its history.
Constantinople was born, and the world would never be the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment