Walls of Constantinople

What it is

These are the fortified walls that surrounded Constantinople, the city Constantine founded as the new capital of the Roman Empire. The original circuit was built under Constantine, and later replaced and expanded by the famous Theodosian walls in the 5th century. Sections still stand today in modern Istanbul.

Why it matters

The walls show Constantine's ambition to build a capital that could rival Rome itself, strong enough to protect his new seat of power on both land and sea. For centuries afterward, the fortifications were almost impossible for besieging armies to break through, protecting the Byzantine Empire that grew from Constantine's foundation.

Look closer

• Why would a new emperor want to build an entirely new capital city with its own walls?
• What does the survival and later rebuilding of these walls tell us about the city's importance over time?
• What can walls and fortifications tell us about a ruler's priorities that written sources might not?