That‘s how you build a wall

In Ancient history, few cities gather as much respect as Constantinople. And those in the know understand that its walls are where it‘s at. Of course, almost any city must rely on fortifications at some point so asking what is so special about Constantinople‘s walls is a fair assessment. Well for starters, they did stand as one of the most extraordinary feats of ancient engineering for its unfathomable scale and complexity. This network of towers, contraptions and layers of fortifications, but also supplies to last the city a few years and (believe it or not) merchant districts should not in all fairness be called a “wall“. What‘s more, the Theodosian Walls (as they are called) stood strong for almost a THOUSAND years. Let that sink in. Predictably, its rich and long history has much to offer. But, for my part, nothing tops the story of how it almost crumbled right from the start.

From the moment of their erection, Anthemius‘ design became a constant source of headaches. After nine gruelling years of construction, its need for constant repairs remained a colossal undertaking matching the project‘s magnitude. For that matter, all citizens were required by law to assist in it in one form or another. One-third of Constantinople‘s annual land tax was allocated solely to it. And it was not too much. In a word: earthquakes. The first one, on September 25 437, took years to recover from. Just in time for another especially strong one on November 6 447. This one left large portions of the wall in shambles. 57 towers were utterly destroyed. The city desperately needed some respite, but another earthquake came in January 448.

Meanwhile, Hun raids plagued the Empire. Theodosius II, emperor at the time, dealt with the threat to the best of its already outstretched resources. In 424, he desperately paid 350 pounds of gold to keep them at peace. With Attila‘s rise in 433, it doubled to 700 pounds. To the emperor, it quickly became apparent that this too would not be enough to satiate them. His spies warned that Attila was gathering his troops and setting his eyes on the capital. Out of resources, exhausted and discredited, this could be the end of the imperial line and of the city altogether. Theodosius II called for help from the Praetorian Prefect of the East. The prefect, grasping the extent of the crisis took some time to prepare a strategy.

His solution was utterly brilliant. Truly puts a smile on my face.

He called the chariot racing factions.

Chariot racing was THE entertainment of the time. In Constantinople, the Hippodrome was not only the setting for such competitions but also the hearth of the city itself. Its structure allowed the people to voice their religious and political opinions in the presence of the emperor, empowering charioteers as political mediators between the rulers and their subjects. Emperors and consuls were morally obliged to personally fund their own inaugural games and competitors. Going back to our story, the praetor called in the leaders of the Green faction, dedicated to spring, and the Blue faction, dedicated to autumn. He then assigned these great rivals a different portion of the wall to repair telling them that their success would reflect their faction‘s prowess. He did not need to say anything more.

Faction leaders called in their troops. Star charioteers rallied their fans. Rich sponsors financed building materials, men and tools. Supporters rush to the site to work day and night. In total, about 16,000 men joined the building effort, finding a new way to focus their rivalry and passion. In the end, we don‘t know which faction won between the blue and green, but we can safely say that, really, they both did. The walls were not only restored in a record 60 days, but scholars believe that this was the moment when the SECOND outer wall was built. Their work finished, the Huns would contemplate three impenetrable lines of defences flanked by a total of 192 towers. Suddenly, pillaging Constantinople was really low on Attila‘s priorities. In the years to come, emperors would conjure the same trick in moments of great need.

Their legacy lasted a millennia.

This account is not only a powerful testament to resilience and ingenuity but also a praise of our own stubbornness. Faced with countless threats, these racing fans stayed true to their ideals however fickle it may seem to us now. Within it, they found strength in themselves but also with each other. Humans can achieve incredible feats. Sometimes, we just need to be pointed in the right direction to do so.

References

• Bardill, Jonathan (2004), Brickstamps of Constantinople, Volume I: Text, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0199255221
• Turnbull, Stephen (2004), The Walls of Constantinople AD 324–1453, Fortress Series, vol. 25, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 184176759X, retrieved 21 October 2021