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
Several inscriptions commemorating the repairs executed by that emperor,
in conjunction with his son and colleague Constantine Copronymus, have
been found upon towers of the Inner Wall.
(_a_) One stood on the seventh tower north of the Sea of Marmora:
† ΛΕΩΝ ΣΥΝ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΩ ΣΚΗΠΤΟΥΧΟΙ ΤΟΝΔΕ
ΗΓΕΙΡΑΝ ΠΥΡΓΟΝ ΤΩΝ ΒΑΘΡΩΝ ΣΥΜΠΤΩΘΕΝΤΑ †
“Leo with Constantine, wielders of the sceptre, erected from the
foundations this tower which had fallen.”
(_b_) Another was placed on the ninth tower north of the Golden Gate, in
letters formed of brick:
ΙΣ | ΧΣ
—--|-—-
ΝΙ | ΚΑ
ΛΕΩΝΤΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΗΝΟΥ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΝ
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΩΝ ΠΟΛΛΑ ΤΑ ΕΤΗ
“Many be the years of Leo and Constantine, Great Kings and
Emperors.”
[Illustration: Tower of the Theodosian Walls (With Inscription in Honour
of the Emperors Leo III. and Constantine V.).]
(_c_) A similar inscription was found on the third tower north of the
Second Military Gate:
† ΛΕΟΝΤΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥ †
ΜΕΓΑΛΩΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΩΝ ΠΟΛΛΑ ΤΑ ΕΤΗ
(_d_) On the second tower north of the Gate of the Pegè was an
inscription similar to that on the seventh tower north of the Sea of
Marmora. The raised letters are beautifully cut on a band of marble:
(_e_) The ninth tower north of the same gate bore two inscriptions. The
higher was in honour, apparently, of an Emperor Constantine; the lower
reads:
† ΝΙΚΑ Η ΤΥΧΗ ΛΕΟΝΤΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥ ΤΩΝ
ΘΕΩΦΥΛΑΚΤΩΝ ΔΕΣΠΟΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΗΡΙΝΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΥΣΕΒΕΣΤΑΤΗΣ
ΗΜΩΝ ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΗΣ
“The Fortune of Leo and Constantine, the God-protected Sovereigns,
and of Irene, our most pious Augusta, triumphs.”
If this inscription belongs to the reign of Leo the Isaurian, the
Empress Irene here mentioned must be Irene, the first wife of
Constantine Copronymus. In that case Maria, the wife of Leo himself,
must have been dead[404] when the repairs which the inscription
commemorates were executed. Irene was married to Constantine in 732, and
died in 749 or 750.
It is possible, however, that the inscription should be assigned to the
reign of Leo IV. and Constantine VI., so different is it from the
inscriptions which belong undoubtedly to the time of Leo the Isaurian.
If so, the empress named is the famous Irene who blinded her son,
usurped his throne, restored the use of Icons, and gave occasion for the
revival of the Roman Empire in the West by Charlemagne.
Below the inscription several monograms are found.
[Illustration]
(_f_) There is an interesting inscription, in letters of brick,
constituting a prayer for the safety of the city, on the fourth tower
north of the Gate Rhousiou:
ΧΡΙΣΤΕ Ω ΘΕΟΣ ΑΤΑΡΑΧΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΠΟΛΕΜΟΝ ΦΥΛΑΤΤΕ
ΤΗΝ ΠΟΛΙΝ ΣΟΥ ΝΙΚΑ ΤΟ ΜΕΝΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΠΟΛΕΜΙΩΝ