ortifications for the capital.
Accordingly, in 413, in the reign of Theodosius II., Anthemius, then
praetorian prefect of the East and regent, enlarged and refortified the
city by the erection of the wall which forms the innermost line of
defence in the bulwarks whose picturesque ruins now stretch from the Sea
of Marmora, on the south of Yedi Kuleh (the seven towers), northwards to
the old Byzantine palace of the Porphyrogenitus (Tekfour Serai), above
the quarter of Egri Kapu. There the new works joined the walls of the
suburb of Blachernae, and thus protected the city on the west down to
the Golden Horn. Somewhat later, in 439, the walls along the Marmora and
the Golden Horn were brought, by the prefect Cyrus, up to the
extremities of the new landward walls, and thus invested the capital in
complete armour. Then also Constantinople attained its final size. For
any subsequent extension of the city limits was insignificant, and was
due to strategic considerations. In 447 the wall of Anthemius was
seriously injured by one of those earthquakes to which the city is
liable. The disaster was all the more grave, as the Huns under Attila
were carrying everything before them in the Balkan lands. The
desperateness of the situation, however, roused the government of
Theodosius II., who was still upon the throne, to put forth the most
energetic efforts to meet the emergency. If we may trust two
contemporary inscriptions, one Latin, the other Greek, still found on
the gate Yeni Mevlevi Khaneh Kapusi (Porta Rhegium), the capital was
again fully armed, and rendered more secure than ever, by the prefect
Constantine, in less than two months. Not only was the wall of Anthemius
restored, but, at the distance of 20 yds., another wall was built in
front of it, and at the same distance from this second wall a broad moat
was constructed with a breastwork along its inner edge. Each wall was
flanked by ninety-six towers. According to some authorities, the moat
was flooded during a siege by opening the aqueducts, which crossed the
moat at intervals and conveyed water into the city in time of peace.
This opinion is extremely doubtful. But in any case, here was a
barricade 190-207 ft. thick, and 100 ft. high, with its several parts
rising tier above tier to permit concerted action, and alive with large
bodies of troops ready to pour, from every coign of vantage, missiles of
death--arrows, stones, Greek fire--upon a foe. It is not strange that
these