The Walls That Held: Constantinople's Urban Transformation from Byzantion to Megalopolis

Before Constantine the Great refounded Byzantion as Constantinople in 324 AD, the city was a modest Greek colony. This episode traces the urban evolution from a small settlement to the greatest city in the medieval world. Lucas and Luna explore how Constantine's new walls expanded the city sevenfold, creating a metropolis that would house over half a million people. They discuss the Septimius Severus walls, the Constantinian Wall, and the later Theodosian Walls that became the city's legendary defense. Along the way, they touch on the Mese, the Augustaion, the Capitolium, and how Constantine integrated pagan monuments with his new Christian vision. Luna asks why the city's layout was so radial, and Lucas explains the logic of the Mese as a processional and commercial spine. The episode ends with a reflection on how cities transform through imperial will, leaving the listener to consider what other foundations were laid during those first decades.

#Constantinople #Byzantion #ConstantineTheGreat #UrbanHistory #Mese #Augustaion #Capitolium #ConstantinianWall #SeptimiusSeverus #TheodosianWalls #CityPlanning #RomanEmpire #ByzantineEmpire #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast #UrbanTransformation #Megalopolis #Istanbul #OttomanEmpire

Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo