The second Arab siege of Constantinople should probably just be called the “real” Arab siege of Constantinople. In 717 the Umayyad Caliphate seriously threatened the continued existence of the Roman Empire by besieging the capital from both land and sea. The the army of the Caliphate vastly outnumbered the Roman defenders. But the Romans still had a few tricks up their sleeves. The formidable Theodosian walls, the horrifying flaming liquid known as Greek Fire, and one most slippery men to ever be called Roman Emperor all helped Constantinople weather the Umayyad storm. How did the Romans manage to survive this time? Tune-in and find out how tricky Greeks, unquenchable flames, and general who was just too darn honest all play a role in the story.
A map of Constantinople accurate to the 7th century
Works Cited
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