Byzantine Constantinople, the walls of the city and adjoining historical sites — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Byzantine Constantinople, the walls of the city and adjoining historical sites
John Stuart Mill · en
Returning to the question of the identity of Cyrus with the Prefect
Constantine above mentioned, the strongest argument in favour of that
identity is the fact that, commencing with Theophanes, who flourished in
the latter part of the eighth century, all historians who refer to the
fortification of the city under Theodosius II. ascribe the work to
Cyrus. That they should be mistaken on this point, it may be urged, is
extremely improbable. On this view, the occurrence of the name
Constantine instead of Cyrus in the inscriptions and in Marcellinus
Comes, is explained by the supposition that the former name was the one
which Cyrus assumed, as usual under such circumstances, after his
conversion to the Christian faith.[183] But surely any name which Cyrus
acquired after his dismissal from office could not be employed as his
designation in documents anterior to his fall. Perhaps a better
explanation is that Cyrus always had both names, one used habitually,
the other rarely, and that the latter appears in the inscriptions
because more suited than the former to the versification in which they
are cast. This, however, does not explain why Marcellinus Comes prefers
the name Constantine.
On the other hand, the proposed identification of Cyrus and Constantine
is open to serious objections. In the first place, not till the eighth
century is the name of Cyrus associated with the land walls of
Constantinople. Earlier historians,[184] when speaking of Cyrus and
extolling his services, say nothing as to his having been concerned in
the fortification of the city in 447.
In the next place, the information of Theophanes and his followers does
not seem based upon a thorough investigation of the subject. These
writers ignore the fact that under Theodosius II. the land walls were
built on two occasions; they ascribe to Cyrus everything done in the
fifth century in the way of enlarging and fortifying the capital, and
are silent as regards the connection of the great Anthemius with that
work.
The only Byzantine author later than the fifth century who recalls the
services of Anthemius is Nicephorus Callistus,[185] and even he
represents Cyrus as the associate of that illustrious prefect. If such
inaccuracies do not render the testimony of Theophanes and subsequent
historians worthless, they certainly make one ask whether these writers
were not misled by the great fame of Cyrus on the ground of other
achievements, and especially on account of his share in building the
walls along the shores of the city in 439, to ascribe to him a work
which was really performed by the more obscure Constantine.
The Inner Wall.
Τὸ κάστρον τὸ μέγα:[186] Τὸ μέγα τεῖχος.[187]