of the barbarians engaged the younger
Theodosius to surround his capital with an adequate and
permanent inclosure of walls. From the eastern promontory to
the Golden Gate, the extreme length of Constantinople was
above three Roman miles; the circumference measured between
ten and eleven; and the surface might be computed as equal
to about two thousand English acres. It is impossible to
justify the vain and credulous exaggerations of modern
travellers, who have sometimes stretched the limits of
Constantinople over the adjacent villages of the European
and even Asiatic coasts. But the suburbs of Pera and Galata,
though situate beyond the harbour, may deserve to be
considered as a part of the city, and this addition may
perhaps authorise the measure of a Byzantine historian, who
assigns sixteen Greek (about sixteen Roman) miles for the
circumference of his native city. Such an extent may seem
not unworthy of an imperial residence. Yet Constantinople
must yield to Babylon and Thebes, to ancient Rome, to
London, and even to Paris....

"Some estimate may be formed of the expense bestowed with
imperial liberality on Constantinople, by the allowance of
about two millions five hundred thousand pounds for the
construction of the walls, the porticoes, and the aqueducts.
The forests that overshadowed the shores of the Euxine, and
the celebrated quarries of white marble in the little
island of Proconnesus, supplied an inexhaustible stock of
materials ready to be conveyed by the convenience of a short
water carriage to the harbour of Byzantium. A multitude of
labourers and artificers urged the conclusion of the work
with incessant toil, but the impatience of Constantine soon
discovered that in the decline of the arts the skill as well
as the number of his architects bore a very unequal
proportion to the greatness of his design.... The buildings
of the new city were executed by such artificers as the age
of Constantine could afford, but they were decorated by the
hands of the most celebrated masters of the age of Pericles
and Alexander.... By Constantine's command the cities of
Greece and Asia were despoiled of their most valuable
ornaments. The trophies of memorable wars, the objects of
religious veneration, the most finished statues of t