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fenced off nor by nature difficult of access. 4.9.18 Consequently, being overlooked by merchants for fear of the danger, 4.9.19 it was neglected. But now the Emperor Justinian has not only added security to the place, 4.9.20 but also saved all the inhabitants of the surrounding country. For at Rhaedestus he raised up a city, strong in its wall, 4.9.21 and exceptionally huge in size. To this place, indeed, when barbarians press upon them, all the neighbors flee in time of need and are saved with their possessions. 4.10.1 Thus, then, were the achievements of the Emperor Justinian at Rhaedestus. But I shall now proceed to tell what labours he bestowed upon the Chersonese. 4.10.2 The Chersonese projects in front of all Thrace in that region. For, encroaching upon the sea and, as it were, holding to its forward course, it gives the impression 4.10.3 that it is indeed advancing toward Asia. And one of its headlands, projecting near the city of Elaeus, both divides the sea into two portions, and, being itself cut off from the rest of the mainland by the rushing water, and receding before the sea as it advances against it, 4.10.4 it forms what is called the Melas Gulf. For the rest, it becomes very nearly an island, acquiring a name appropriate to its formation. For it is called, as is natural, Chersonese ("peninsula"), being separated by a narrow isthmus, so as not to be an island altogether. 4.10.5 Across this isthmus the men of old built a cross-wall in a careless and very neglected manner, 4.10.6 so that it could be captured by a ladder. For, thinking, I suppose, that they were enclosing some neglected garden with a hedge, they made it both weak 4.10.7 and rising but little above the ground. And furthermore, on the sea on either side of the isthmus they built breakwaters, both short and flimsy, which they are accustomed to call moles, and so blocked the space between the rushing water and the wall, not in order to repel assailants, but rather to invite them to the entrances; so contemptible, indeed, they made it, and so easy to capture for those who might make the attempt. 4.10.8 And thinking that they had made some impregnable defence against the enemy, they decided that all the country inside this wall was worthy of no guard, since it happened that there was neither fort nor any other stronghold in the Chersonese, although it extends for a journey of very nearly 4.10.9 three days. Recently, at any rate, the enemy, while overrunning the districts of Thrace, attempted to try the entrance along the shore, and having frightened off the guards there, they leaped inside as if playing some game, and got inside the wall with no trouble. 4.10.10 Emperor Justinian, therefore, giving much thought to the safety of his subjects, 4.10.11 did the following things. First, the old wall has been obliterated by him, not so much as a trace of it being left. 4.10.12 And another was immediately raised on the same spot, which, being suitably widened, 4.10.13 rises to a great height. And above the battlements a vaulted structure, built up in the manner of a gallery, forms a roof, covering those 4.10.14 defending the wall. And other battlements set upon the vaulted roof double the fighting for those who assault the wall here. 4.10.15 Then, on both sides, at the ends of the wall, right by the very breakers of the sea, he has built breakwaters, which they call moles, extending very far into the surf, and joined to the wall, and rivalling the fortification in height. 4.10.16 But also the moat, which is outside the wall, he cleaned out and dug down most thoroughly, and endowed it with a great 4.10.17 measure of width and depth. And what is more, he established garrisons of soldiers on these long walls, sufficient to oppose all barbarians, 4.10.18 should they make any attempt on the Chersonese. And having thus established these things in firm security, he also added fortifications for those within, no less. 4.10.19 So that if it should happen that the long walls suffer any mishap (may the word be unsaid), the people of the Chersonese would be no less in safety. 4.10.20 For he surrounded the city of Aphrodisias with a very strong fortification, it having previously been for the most part unwalled, and the city of Ciberis, lying on the ground, 4.10.21

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ἀποτετριγχωμένον μήτε τῇ φύσει δυσπρόσοδον 4.9.18 εἶναι. ὥστε καὶ τοῖς ἐμπόροις δέει τοῦ κινδύνου ὑπερ4.9.19 οφθὲν ἐν ὀλιγωρίᾳ ἐγένετο. νῦν δὲ βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς οὐχ ὅσον τῷ χωρίῳ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν προσεποίησεν, 4.9.20 ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς περιοίκους ἐσώσατο πάντας. ἐπὶ Ῥαιδεστοῦ γὰρ ἀνέστησε πόλιν, τείχει μὲν ἐρυμνήν, μεγέθει 4.9.21 δὲ διαφερόντως ὑπέρογκον. οὗ δὴ βαρβάρων σφίσιν ἐγκειμένων οἱ πλησιόχωροι ἅπαντες εἰς καιρὸν καταφεύγοντες σὺν τοῖς χρήμασι διασώζονται. 4.10.1 Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ Ῥαιδεστοῦ Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ ταύτῃ πη ἔσχεν. ὅσα δὲ αὐτῷ ἀμφὶ Χερρονήσῳ δια4.10.2 πεπόνηται, ἐρῶν ἔρχομαι. προβέβληται μὲν πάσης ἡ Χερρόνησος τῆς κατ' αὐτὴν Θρᾴκης. ἐπεμβαίνουσα γὰρ τῇ θαλάσσῃ καὶ ὥσπερ ἐχομένη τοῦ πρόσω, δόκησιν 4.10.3 παρέχεται ὅτι δὴ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν χωρεῖ. ἀκτὴ δὲ αὐτῆς ἀμφὶ πόλιν Ἐλαιοῦντα προὔχουσα μία, σχίζει τε εἰς δύο τὴν θάλασσαν μοίρας, καὶ αὐτὴ τῷ ῥοθίῳ ἀποτεμνομένη τῆς ἄλλης ἠπείρου, καὶ προσιούσῃ ἐπίπροσθεν τῇ θαλάσσῃ 4.10.4 ὑποχωροῦσα, τὸν Μέλανα καλούμενον ποιεῖ κόλπον. νῆσος δὲ τὸ λοιπὸν ὀλίγου δέοντος γίνεται, ὄνομα τῷ ποιουμένῳ προσῆκον κτωμένη. Χερρόνησος γάρ, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ὀνομάζεται, ἰσθμῷ διειργομένη βραχεῖ, μὴ νῆσος 4.10.5 παντάπασιν εἶναι. κατὰ τοῦτον οἱ πάλαι ἄνθρωποι τὸν ἰσθμὸν παρέργως τε καὶ λίαν ἀπημελημένως ἐδείμαντο 4.10.6 διατείχισμα κλίμακι ἁλωτόν. κῆπον γάρ πού τινα εἰκῆ κείμενον αἱμασιᾷ περιβάλλειν οἰόμενοι, ἰσχνόν τε αὐτὸ 4.10.7 καὶ ὀλίγον τῆς γῆς ὑπερανεστηκὸς ἐξειργάσαντο. πρὸς δὲ καὶ τὴν ἑκατέρωθι τοῦ ἰσθμοῦ θάλασσαν προβόλους τεκτηνάμενοι βραχεῖς τε καὶ φαύλους, οὕσπερ καλεῖν νενομίκασι μώλους, τὴν μεταξὺ χώραν τοῦ τε ῥοθίου καὶ τοῦ περιβόλου ἐφράξαντο, οὐ ταύτῃ τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύσοντας ἀπωσόμενοι, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὰς εἰσόδους παρακαλέσοντες· οὕτω δὴ αὐτὸ εὐκαταφρόνητον ἐξειργάσαντο, καὶ 4.10.8 τοῖς ἀποπειρασομένοις εὐάλωτον. ἡγούμενοι δέ τι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἄμαχον πεποιῆσθαι ὀχύρωμα, τούτου δὴ τοῦ περιβόλου τὰ ἐντὸς ἅπαντα φυλακῆς οὐδεμιᾶς ἀξιοῦν ἔγνωσαν, ἐπεὶ οὔτε φρούριον οὔτε ἄλλο τι ἔρυμα ἐπὶ Χερρονήσου ξυνέβαινεν εἶναι, καίπερ ὀλίγου δέοντος ἐς 4.10.9 τριῶν κατατεινούσης ὁδὸν ἡμερῶν. ἔναγχος ἀμέλει γοῦν οἱ πολέμιοι καταθέοντες τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς Θρᾴκης χωρία ἐγκεχειρήκασι μὲν ὡς ἀποπειρασόμενοι τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἠϊόνα εἰσόδου, δεδιξάμενοι δὲ τοὺς ταύτῃ φρουροὺς ἐσπεπηδήκασιν ὥσπερ τι ἄθυρμα παίζοντες, ἐντός τε τοῦ περιβόλου γεγένηνται οὐδενὶ πόνῳ. 4.10.10 Πολλὰ τοίνυν ἀμφὶ τῶν κατηκόων τῇ σωτηρίᾳ δια4.10.11 σκοπούμενος Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς ἐποίει τάδε. πρῶτα μὲν αὐτῷ ἐξίτηλον τὸ παλαιὸν γεγένηται τεῖχος, οὐδὲ 4.10.12 ὅσον ἴχνους οἱ ἀπολελειμμένου τινός. ἕτερον δὲ αὐτίκα ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς χώρας ἀνέστη, ὅπερ ἐπιεικῶς εὐρυνόμενον 4.10.13 ὑψοῦ ἀνέχει. ὑπεράνω τε τῶν ἐπάλξεων ἀνειλημμένη θόλος ἐν στοᾶς τρόπῳ ὄροφον ποιεῖται, καλύπτουσα τοὺς 4.10.14 τοῦ περιβόλου ἀμυνομένους. ἄλλοι τε τῇ θόλῳ προμαχῶνες ἐγκείμενοι διπλασιάζουσι τοῖς τῇδε τειχομαχοῦσι 4.10.15 τὸν πόλεμον. ἔπειτα δὲ ἀμφοτέρωθι ἐς τοῦ περιβόλου τὰ πέρατα πρὸς αὐταῖς που τῆς θαλάσσης ταῖς ῥαχίαις μάλιστα, προβόλους πεποίηται, οὓς μώλους καλοῦσιν, ἐπὶ πλεῖστον μὲν τοῦ ῥοθίου διήκοντας, τῷ δὲ τείχει ξυναπτομένους, ὕψους δὲ πέρι τῷ ἐρύματι ἐναμίλλους 4.10.16 ὄντας. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν τάφρον τοῦ περιβόλου ἔκτοσθεν οὖσαν περικαθάρας τε καὶ κατορύξας ἐνδελεχέστατα μέγα 4.10.17 τι αὐτῇ εὔρους τε καὶ βάθους ἐντέθειται χρῆμα. καὶ μὴν καὶ στρατιωτῶν καταλόγους ἐν τούτοις ἱδρύσατο τοῖς μακροῖς τείχεσι πᾶσι βαρβάροις ἀντιτάξασθαι ἱκανοὺς 4.10.18 ὄντας, ἤν τι τῆς Χερρονήσου ἀποπειρῶνται. οὕτω δὲ ταῦτα ἐν τῷ βεβαίῳ τῆς ἀσφαλείας καταστησάμενος καὶ τοῖς ἔνδον οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ὀχυρώματα προσεποίησεν. 4.10.19 ὥστε εἰ τοῖς μακροῖς τείχεσιν (ἀπέστω δὲ τοῦ λόγου) παθεῖν τι ξυμβαίη, οὐδέν τι ἧσσον Χερρονησιώτας ἐν 4.10.20 ἀσφαλεῖ εἶναι. πόλιν τε γὰρ Ἀφροδισιάδα ἐρύματι ἐχυρωτάτῳ περιεβάλλετο, ἀτείχιστον ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον τὰ πρότερα οὖσαν, καὶ Κίβεριν πόλιν, ἐπ' ἐδάφους κει4.10.21 μένην,