Walls of Constantinople: The Last Great Ancient Fortification

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[@megaprojects9649]

Get Surfshark VPN at Surfshark.deals/MEGA and enter promo code CODE for 83% off and 3 extra months for free!

[@DannyHeywood]

I'd love to, but you didn't mention SurfShark even once in the video?

[@Jimmy_in_Mexico]

Jeraco in modern day ISRAEL!!!! Palistine never existed

[@kevmccarthy8311]

Yeah, you’d think he’d talk about it for two minutes in videos of this length, but not a peep. If he’s not convinced how good the product is … 😃

[@kevmccarthy8311]

@@Jimmy_in_Mexico Wow, where to start. Jericho is in Palestine. Most of the world has accepted that Palestine exists. The English offered the first two state solution in 1919. Palestinians are known in Arabic as “philistines”, which is a name you would recognise if you had ever been anywhere near a Bible. The Palestinians have been there just as long as the Habiru and longer than the people of El (Hebrews & Israelites aren’t the same thing, you see)

[@imperiumbrasiliae]

I have the impression simon was drunk

[@jorgeferdenav]

Fun fact: when the Ottomans sieged the city in 1453 and fired their comically massive guns at the Theodosian Walls, they did manage to break it on the first shot, but the walls were so massive that they had to bomb the spot for several days just to clear the rubble, which did a better job at absorbing the blows than when it was a solid structure.

[@a2falcone]

The walls proved to be extremely effective during that siege. But the defenders were doomed against such a large army and with little hope of being relieved.

[@wills2140]

Good reference! Similar thing happened at Monte Casino during WWII. Some of the rubble there made better fighting for the Nazis. Some of the Allied Forces there took many casualties taking the old Monastery.

[@kettelbe]

@@wills2140 it s not nearly the same lol.

[@62rob53]

The walls were always rebuilt in the evening!

[@mushtaqrasool9169]

Everybody is forgetting that this was not the first time that Constantinople was attacked by Muslims. Much earlier (674-678), the Arab empire put a siege of over 20,000 strong to force the city into surrender. The defenses, however, were too strong and the Byzantine Empire still had immense power in its hands. The army had to leave their positions due to Byzantine Fire and just the shear strength of the force inside, not including the advanced walls and innovative technique.

[@amaccama3267]

I can't tell whether Simon's building up to a Blaze or coming down from one.

[@StevenLockey]

The white blaze powder ;)

[@wpjohn91]

He was in a good mood. Maybe he got a chew and a strong coffee

[@6Shroomie9]

I was going to put this, normally the blaze is subdued in non-blaze channels, only just seeping in. This one is verging on YA BOI territory

[@davidminken4094]

I was gonna say... he's pretty amped up about them walls.

[@megaprojects9649]

Blaze always gets recorded first. It requires to most energy :)

[@Van_damm]

Did Simon just quote the Anchorman with that “I love lamp” in the intro? 🤣

[@joeyr7294]

I couldn't tell if he said lamp or lamb but thought the same thing lol

[@whitebread7926]

Must have 😂😂

[@davidankenbauer5631]

I had to rewind it to make sure I heard it right 🤣🤣

[@rafathegafa]

Finger on the cultural pulse.

[@kendracrippen]

Simon has seen a movie?!

[@chimpinaneckbrace]

I was lucky enough to visit the walls a couple of years ago. It’s amazing how much of it survives, even if it is mostly crumbling ruins. Our group was allowed to check out the interior of one section and a very pissed off homeless man was furious that we decided to invade his living room. And by living room I mean the 5th century fortified tower he called home.

[@ClassicFormulaOne1]

I walked those walls back in 2005 and since then I always made the joke that all of Istanbuls homeless are living in those walls.

[@chimpinaneckbrace]

@@ClassicFormulaOne1 Them and the street dogs and cats.

[@tw3ist]

Same as italy lmao

[@mrnobody6447]

@@ClassicFormulaOne1 to think before the ottoman turks it was held by former eastern romans.

[@fairoboilawrence5287]

@@mrnobody6447 they were greeks keeping the roman culture and empire alive. That is why the city should be returned to Greece

[@forthencholordofadmirals2763]

Walls, tall walls, short walls, thick walls, thin walls, double and triple walls. We like our walls.

[@BabySkinCondom]

ALRIGHT WE GOT WHITE WALLS, BLACK WALLS, SPANISH WALLS, YELLOW WALLS. WE GOT HOT WALLS, COLD WALLS. WE GOT WET WALLS. WE GOT SMELLY WALLS. WE GOT HAIRY WALLS, BLOODY WALLS. WE GOT SNAPPING WALLS. WE GOT SILK WALLS, VELVET WALLS, NAUGAHYDE WALLS. WE EVEN GOT HORSE WALLS, DOG WALLS, CHICKEN WALLS.

[@TheTotallyRealXiJinping]

#BuildThatWall

[@c.blakerockhart1128]

@@BabySkinCondom Dusk to Dawn ? Pretty cool roundabout reference.🤔🇺🇸😎

[@JayVee53]

Sugar walls?

[@forthencholordofadmirals2763]

@@c.blakerockhart1128 omfg I didn't notice that till you said that 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I love that movie

[@unstoppable-ar3292]

I visited the Constantinople walls today and I could not help but admire and mourn the fall of this great civilization.

[@arthas640]

I often wonder how the world would have been if the Byzantines had survived long enough to partake in European colonialism. They practiced slavery but unlike most of Europe they had greater respect for human rights and were far more tolerant of other races and other religions. They usually had a more collaborationist policy, preferring to co-opt local leaders and bring them into the empire rather than outright conquest and pillage. I can picture them building more of a mercantile empire similar to the Italian maritime republics using colonies rather than the European model of rape, pillage, and enslave. Their civilizations downfall was one of the darkest moments in history and we can see how advanced they were just by looking at the renaissance. Part of the reason it happened in Europe was due to Byzantine artists and scholars fleeing the Turks westward and their arrival changed the course of European culture and eventually lead to the enlightenment. The Ottomans went through a similar change after taking the empire, but they were more like children playing with an adults toys: they didnt really appreciate what they had and were more squatters than anything, once they'd copied many ideas and innovations of the Byzantines they didnt really change much after that and didnt innovate much themselves and soon they went from more advanced than Europe, Africa, or most of Asia to being on the same level as Europe and before long they were the "sick man of Europe".

[@6Shroomie9]

I feel like someone challenged Simon to make a video about walls interesting, and after a good dose of Colombian motivational powder, we got this gem.

[@EvilScot]

Columbian motivational powder, I will have to use that 🤣😂

[@catjudo1]

Which powder? Colombia is famous for a brown one and a white one...

[@eporeily232]

@@catjudo1 I’m pretty sure it’s both!

[@Mattrogers637]

Well played!

[@christophera556]

This commentator is definitely high.

[@Deukish]

Akshually, the Emperor Diocletian had moved the Capital/s before Constantine when he was setting up the Tetrachy system. The West's capital was moved from Rome to Mediolanum (Milan) in 286, and Nicomedia was made the East's capital at the same time.

[@alexius23]

I had long known about the Great Walls protecting Constantinople. Still, when I visited Istanbul I was still stunned at the scope & size of the Wall fragments that still exist…

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:45 - Chapter 1 - Ancient walls 3:25 - Chapter 2 - Constantinople 5:35 - Chapter 3 - The earliest walls 7:00 - Mid roll ads 8:40 - Chapter 4 - Theodosian walls 11:25 - Chapter 5 - Sea walls 12:30 - Chapter 6 - Evolution of the walls 13:20 - Chapter 7 - A target 15:50 - Chapter 8 - The fall of constantinople 16:45 - Chapter 9 - The last of the ancient walls

[@thatrealba]

That cannon was no joke. I remember sidelining my college professor for nearly a whole class session when he mentioned it. He found a big, giant, ancient gun as fascinating as I do.

[@catjudo1]

I've read that one term for these early cannons was a "bombard" and that they shot round stones. I also read that engineers soon realized that a smaller iron ball could reach a considerably higher velocity and consequently do more damage. The cannons could also be made as effectively with far less metal. Impressive stuff.

[@dv4310]

The SWCU (Simon Whistler Cinematic Universe) is slowly merging and I love it.

[@scuppersthesailordog]

If you want to learn more about these walls and their role in history, read Constantinople: The Last Great Siege, 1453 by Roger Crowley. There's enough smiting, sabring and sacking in that book for all of history, let alone one city. Crowley wrote a series of books that address the struggle for dominance in the Med and control of the trade routes that delivered fabulous wealth to those savage enough to make them their own. You probably skimmed over this in grade school and understood about ten per cent of it. Crowley gives you the other 90 per cent, and it's worth every penny.

[@igorbispo7775]

His good mood made my bad mood vanish... thanks, Simon!

[@junekatana78]

He's definitely a mood changer! He'd get great results I'd he was a teacher.

[@2000eae]

Fun fact: The lettuce 🥬 and artichokes from the orchards in between the walls is really famous among gourmets, (renowned to be the best in the world, and have eventually developed into their own species / cultivar over time) and you can clearly see these well groomed mini gardens / yards / orchards in many of the shots. The lore says that the lettuce, and artichoke cultivation in yards between the walls dates back to the Roman times. The highly appreciated lettuce cultivar is called “Yedikule Marulu” in Turkish and the yards / orchards, “Yedikule Bostanları” in Turkish.

[@2000eae]

The Heirloom Yedikule lettuce today, is an atypical oblong cultivar that is extra crispy and tasty, and is part of the local cultural heritage.

[@Meganec3810]

Can we get an episode on this please! That sounds fascinating!

[@macsarcule]

Simon losin’ it over all the walls, and I’m _loving_ it.

[@mammuchan8923]

This was an episode of pure brilliance, is going to be on my rewatch list forever. In a first, I wanted Simon to carry on singing, break into a little elbow gig he looked like he was having so much fun😍😍😍

[@patrickmcdonald8513]

Is that a reference to Marcus Brody in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? Because if not it should be.

[@5t4n5]

Hi Simon, Talking of walls that stood for nearly 1000 years, then please consider doing the Tower of London. Plenty to talk about, very interesting place and the White Tower at the centre is nearly 1000 years old.

[@keningall5404]

I always enjoy your presentations and this one was highly entertaining and you made what could have been a rather boring topic lively and amusing it was obvious you enjoyed yourself thanks

[@gaildoughty6799]

Love this! So relaxed and rather snarky. Great channel, Simon.

[@d1j16]

Simon, If you haven't already, do a video on that massive cannon. It's an amazing piece of work.

[@michellemire8462]

Is that the neo armstrong cyclone jet armstrong? It has a great finish!

[@momolojo]

I love the energy in this video, it makes me think that you'r actually not being held hostage and are being kept to pump out content!

[@darrenwalley91]

Brilliant video. 📹 Thank you very much, Simon. 😁

[@jayterriblemrlimb18]

Great show, love all the channels SideProjects, Biographics, Geographics, Casual Criminalist, TopTenz, & oddly funniest of all Business Blaze. You guys make the best content. I would like to see a "How its Made" type show. Where you take something basic, an everyday item that has an incredible story behind it. Thank you for all the episods.

[@StevenLockey]

For business blaze, simply lock Danny in the basement and feed Simon cocaine 😂

[@michellehean4941]

What a coincidence. I've never been the SECOND viewer of a video of a humongously popular channel. Love and appreciate Simon and all of the other people who put the work into researching and presenting these videos.

[@nicholascorbett1256]

You weren't

[@johnmorey8107]

I have a wall around my estate to keep out the riff raff. Last week someone jumped over it and yelled "I breached your wall" and I yelled back "No you fool you are now locked in here with me!"

[@markreynolds1436]

Think I'll wait for the film.

[@therad3608]

I think this is my favourite video you've done. Had a massive smile on my face for the whole thing!

[@stefanschleps8758]

Awesome work you guys. A great offering to the masses. And we thank you.

[@cgalvin717]

This episode is extra chaotic, and I like that.

[@GuntherRommel]

Have you watched Business Blaze?

[@kazenagi21]

Spoilers dude, i like to be suprised as to where will we end up. I like to think that Simon is like horde from "Split, Glass" and Danny and other script and editing team work when he sleeps.

[@carlosalbertobravopantoja8333]

Indeed

[@Darryl_Frost]

A little known fact about walls is their excellent ability to hold up roofs.. No wonder they are so popular.

[@representativejoints1188]

Simon you're a great host and I love your spirit behind the knowledge.

[@jamesflaherty4713]

you still give the best interpretations of history i have yet heard or seen keep it up

[@MichaelaBennison]

I'm shocked that Simon, who knows next to nothing pop culture, knows the song 'Istanbul (Not Constantinople)'

[@Joe_Potts]

I was looking for the comment about the song lol

[@PK-wr1qw]

@@Joe_Potts ditto… how does a TMBG reference get overlooked?

[@justinreed4733]

Simon has gotten much more eccentric these past few years

[@fisherking1863]

A most splendid though brief presentation. You are to be complimented most highly. Your dates were impeccable.

[@dib_dib]

Thank you Simon for singing the song in my head. I needed that!

[@adamkg3215]

Keeping to the walls theme I think a video on all of the different walls/defenses that surrounded the city of Rome throughout its history would be interesting. Anybody else agree?

[@brentstephens4081]

Yep

[@Heyhowie]

You should check out the State Barrier Fence in Australia, a fence that is 1170 km long!

[@nancyallen628]

Simon, thank you for this!!!

[@Robbie_Kid]

Great video!

[@stephenlane9168]

Simon please could you cover the building of the two amazing Warwickshire Castles - Warwick & Kenilworth

[@jacklucas5908]

Might as well do a video on the Berlin Wall to wrap all these "Wall" videos.

[@Darkwizzrobe]

He could do one on the Inner German border as well.

[@mrnobody6447]

@@Darkwizzrobe did he already do the seigfriend line?

[@MathiasDread]

Just found your channels, and I have been binging for a couple days. I hear about all these walls, but I wanna hear about Offa's Dyke.

[@andrewhalverson6974]

Simon, your blaze is showing🥁🥁🥁

[@Ptolemy336VV]

The Greeks have such incredible architectures throughout the ages. It's truly incredible

[@selimsahkulu78]

This is Roman building

[@MrKroakim]

@KIKA P2 if you would've asked the byzantines, they would,ve called themselves romans, not greeks.

[@enigmamyth]

@KIKA P2 those were Romans architecture not greek

[@waltroskoh8650]

@@selimsahkulu78 It's pretty much the same thing man.

[@lalamla1879]

@@waltroskoh8650 It's not the same, the Byzantines are Anatolian. And they call themselves Romans, and the Greeks are invaders in Anatolia. Anatolia has always belonged to the Hittites and Trojans.

[@janneaalto3956]

Listened to this half-asleep and thought Simon was talking about wool. The line "as time progressed, wools grew bigger, stronger, and far more expansive!" got me laughing.

[@TheBooban]

Why? Lost unshaven sheep happen all the time.

[@vashstarwind36]

Bravo Simon!! You do SUCH a great job. 😎💎💎💎👍

[@brucewatt1032]

Thanks for constantly entertaining me in what I remember as being incredibly boring history lessons at school 👌

[@Hytrophic]

i love how as simon evolves as a content creator you can tell business blaze is his love child as it slowly bleeds over into his other channels, and i love it.

[@kremesauce]

An RPG during the fall of the Roman Empire in Constantinople would be sweet!!

[@RC83]

Vikings travelled to Constantinopel or Miklagård as they called it to trade and to enter the emperors bodyguard. The emperor Basileios II (year 976-1025) saw the northmen as the finest fighting men and the word spread by the northmen that you could earn alot of silver if you joined the Varingaguard.

[@gregjones3183]

Really interesting stuff Simon. Loved the Black Sabbath Greatest Hits album cover used to depict the plague, Very apt.

[@andersjjensen]

Factboi's editors are absolutely not without a sense of humour....

[@scrollfloh]

I feel like Simon is much more energetic than usual.

[@Banidil]

Fan base is growing so I bet its a boost

[@alex29443]

Ancient fortifications, emperors, societal decay, plague, strange new religions, lost technologies, barbarian invaders, sounds like Warhammer 40k right there. You just know there was some guy during the ottomon siege shouting; 'for the emperor!' taking out a last few Ottomans before the whole thing came crashing down.

[@killgore_trout626]

Loved that Simon was singing They Might be Giants.

[@Saurischian]

I love the humor in this. Keep it up.

[@jeremywilliams9470]

Enemies watching great walls being built: “We’re just gonna have to wait it out boys, this here’s a war of attrition, just let them tucker out”

[@stefanschleps8758]

And a thousand years later they did!

[@ivokantarski6220]

Many of those who waited didnt get to see the end of it wow.

[@barthoving2053]

Problem for the besieger is that with a city like Constantinople is that if you do not control the sea and generally the invaders of Constantinople did not, the city can get food in indefinitely. And the city has the infrastructure to receive, store and distribute food for tens of thousands of people and has the housing to boot. While the army outside the walls has not got any of that luxury. So the living conditions of the besiegers will most likely deteriorate faster than those of the besieged.

[@rcrawford42]

@@barthoving2053 Drinking water was the biggest problem, so they built cisterns to store it. One of them, the Basilica Cistern, is so large they used to give tours of it in boats. Now it has walkways -- more convenient, but not as impressive. The cisterns were filled by aqueducts, and there are still traces of those around today.

[@henrylinky6767]

i climbed a section of the propontis walls. it was an amazing experience. i dont think i was technically allowed to, but homeless people were sleeping at the base of them so i dont think my climbing was much of an issue.

[@DustyPurple24]

Simon having fun is fun

[@gregshimmin5334]

Thank you Simon, glad to know I am not the only one singing when someone says Istanbul Lol 😂

[@arniea4202]

Also covered is the effect of 5 double espressos on Simon.

[@kennichols3992]

"Walls of houses!" Thank you. You saved me from having to point out the bleeding obvious.

[@macsarcule]

Simon’s surf shark ad plays:🔥🤖✨🤌👄 Me: “I’ll have what he’s having.”

[@explorer1968]

The limestone mortar helped to strenghten the walls giving them elasticity to withstand the constante earthquakes that pague that area. The triple line of walls was built in a hurry after one of those earthquakes and the fast approaching Huns wanting to take advantage of the natural disaster. When the Hun leader Attila got to the city, he was in shock to see the new city defenses ready; he turned around and never tried again to take Constantinople...

[@fvckyoutubescensorshipandt2718]

While we're on walls do Pink Floyd: The Wall. That tour was a megaproject too.

[@blakethornsbrough1528]

Hello, is there anybody in there?

[@JohnWick_jr]

I was hiking around all these walls 6 years ago. I had a map with over 100 ancient sights with me and checked every gate. Was so impressed about its size. Especially at the northern part close to where the last palace was. It's so high. And the Golden gate was also impressive watching it from the cemetery below it. It’s so sad that the Byzantine empire collapsed.

[@bamacopeland4372]

I know someone says it every video but the blaze is shining through in his other videos and I dig it

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you

[@lizdierdorf]

Is it me or did Simon recorded this after a Business Blaze? It seems all other Simon’s channels are catching up with “The Blaze”. I love it!!

[@BlueBirdsProductions]

Simon got stoned before this one, he nearly pissed himself when he said rhat we don't build walls around cities anymore

[@lorenzogabutti8303]

Simon was on top form there!

[@ichbinkaosengel]

Simon with the They Might Be Giants reference! Two of my favorite personalities, Simon and TMBG. :)

[@_undefined1744]

Do Pink Floyds wall next. We don't need no education. We don't need no thought control

[@jimcappa6815]

All alone, or in twos, some stagger and fall. After all, it's not easy, banging your head against some mad bugger's wall.

[@Banidil]

Share and support their content and I imagine just using the link to add traffic there. This is a legit production stuff thats properly researched and people need this kind of stuff to get your head a break with the astoundingly eclectic channels

[@avveb9644]

Another video about Walls? YES FINALLY!

[@spathens8225]

It would be awesome if you could do a more detailed video on the walls

[@timmy2shoez]

I lovw how you can add excitement to a video about a wall 👏

[@Odin029]

"I love lamp"... I'm honestly surprised Simon has even seen that movie.

[@johnathandavis3693]

Anchorman is the single greatest cinematic event of all time...

[@MajesticSkywhale]

@@johnathandavis3693 oh please I'm totally not prepared for this, I wasn't expecting it at all *pulls flute from sleeve*

[@johnathandavis3693]

@@MajesticSkywhale -he should have gotten an Oscar for that scene....

[@eloquentsarcasm]

Instant Like for the They Might Be Giants song, good taste in music Simon!

[@TheEvilCommenter]

Good video 👍

[@erichimes3062]

Just remember ✅: If you have a date in Constantinople, she’ll be waiting in Istanbul

[@randomdudeonyoutube.]

The greatest wall keeps my crush away from me.

[@zch7491]

The great restraining order keeps me away from mine 😭

[@seanbrazell6147]

What would have elicited an aww five years ago now gets an eeeek. Even from me.

[@stefanschleps8758]

Better to keep your "crush" away, than keeping your "kush" away. lol

[@PrezVeto]

@@seanbrazell6147 Don't ever let them change you

[@FedJimSmith]

What wall is this,?

[@Mattrogers637]

The boy with the blaze is starting to take over other channels... and I find it to be fantastic!

[@jccontinuer5600]

Simon, either sleep deprived or high on coffee. Either way, i love this episode. So much enthusiasm.

[@katnelson-nolen8874]

There is a chance that the Fed will consider crypto payments as legal transactions. It isn't that far away! Amazon, eBay, Overstock, Shopify, and several others accept crypto coins for trading

[@orjicwisdom3243]

Investing in Cryptocurrencies is one of the smartest investment to make in recent time

[@jennphil7094]

Like any new revolutionary technology, cryptocurrency has both good and bad

[@tyronegjackson9816]

Crypto is the new gold

[@tyronegjackson9816]

@@orjicwisdom3243 Love crypto, I started in 2017 but currently, I'm investing everything into real estate

[@jamieariks1521]

I've always wanted to trade Crypto but got discouraged by the volatility in the price of crypto coins

[@robverschoor8688]

Yess love the constantanople song!! It goes hand in hand with " Its a long way to tiparrary"

[@mustafaemad3614]

Mega Project suggestions: Benban Solar Park, Aswan High Dam, Bar Lev Line and Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

[@nthopk]

This channel is awesome

[@tomaskapel2287]

OGBB Simon is showing from under Serious Simon's mask... Nice... Soon All Simons will Blaze

[@jfriend2001]

The Simon clones are changing .....

[@CeltSfodster]

I thought I’d try a drinking game where I take a shot every time Simon says wall... 6 hours later and I’ve just woke up with a stone cold half eaten Doner Kebab next to me and the headache from hell!

[@ComaDave]

4:22 "The Consummation of Empire". 4:27 "Destruction". Two of the five amazing paintings in the series "The Course of Empire" by Thomas Cole.

[@charlesjmouse]

0:05 Wow! I know Simon likes to keep himself busy but this is "next level" acivity!

[@swanee327]

"Brick...where did you get a grenade?" ... "I DON'T KNOW"

[@SRW_]

I got a grenade! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

[@The-three-eyed-Prophet]

does he have a video about the roman limes wall build on the europeen mainland to protect the roman empire from ancient barbaric german tribes?

[@byronbass3014]

Welcome to another episode of Megaprojects, I’m Brick Tamland and I love lamp.

[@arwo1143]

Fun fact about the mortar used to build most 4-15th century structures after the fall of Rome A key component was powdered red clay They got that by smashing Roman roof shindles and bricks

[@oliviagreen7423]

Oh thx Simon, only half payed attention to the vid because I started singing They Might Be Giants in my head😁😎

[@dib_dib]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@chacecrowell3638]

That's nobody's business but the Turks'

[@daveharrison84]

When Byzantine officials needed their city walls to get rebuilt quickly, they got the reds, the blues the greens and the yellows (fan bases of chariot racing teams) to complete with each other over who can build walls the fastest.

[@eskamobob8662]

I want more blaze in other channels! Doesnt havent to be a full blaze, but the little blaze here was butiful