Fall of Empires

Chapter 30

The enemy had come. They had come like a black tide, spreading across the plain in a countless teeming horde. The Avars had arrived before Constantinople at last. Nicetas observed their destructive progress from the safe vantage point of the southern tower of the Silver Gate. The cool stone of the parapet beneath his fingers gave him a small sense of reassurance. The great triple line of defences stretched away from him in both directions, sealing off the city of Constantinople on the landward side from the Propontis to the Golden Horn. Inviolate and bristling with towers, the Walls of Theodosius had kept the city safe against all enemies. Even the terrible Attila had turned back when he beheld the formidable barrier that protected the imperial capital. 

Beyond the walls however, there was no protection. Nicetas could hear the crackle of the flames from the burning monastery on the morning air as the Avar raiders put it to the torch, having already looted everything that they could carry away. The monks had long since sought shelter behind the walls of the city, bringing with them their most precious books and relics. There was a sickening crash as the elegant dome above the chapel collapsed in ruin into the courtyard below. A ragged jeer from the Avars was carried on the breeze before they lost interest in the stricken building and drifted away back towards their own lines.  

Across the plain between the city and the sprawling Avar camp smoke rose from the blackened shells of churches, farms and houses. Not even the humblest dwelling had been spared. The monastery, by virtue of its closeness to the walls, had been the last building to meet with destruction. It seemed unlikely that the city itself would be spared the Avars' attentions for much longer. Soon they would make their attempt upon the land walls. Rising in the midst of the Avar camp were the skeletons of several ramshackle siege towers. The dull thud of hammers carried across to the watchers on the walls as hides were nailed onto the outside of the towers to give them some protection from flaming missiles. The attack would not be long in coming. 

'It looks as if their preparations are almost complete,' declared Sergius, who was puffing hard from his ascent of the steps to join Nicetas at the top of the tower. 'Oh may the Almighty smite them for their wickedness! Look at what these barbarous rats have done,' he added as he saw the burning monastery. 

'The barbarous rats as you call them seem to have mastered the rudiments of siege craft, Sergius,' Nicetas replied grimly. 

'They shall be turned back and scattered, Nicetas. Do not doubt it.'  

The Patriarch gave a thin smile and reached inside the leather bag that he had brought with him, pulling out a heavy rectangular object wrapped in a musty purple cloth. As Sergius pulled the cloth aside, the sunlight struck the exquisite icon that was revealed and its golden brightness dazzled Nicetas. 

'I visited the Church of the Theotokos this morning and brought her out to give heart to the defenders.'  

Nicetas caught his breath as he looked upon the city's most sacred icon of the Virgin. He had never seen it so close up before and he admired the skill of the artist as the image of the Mother of God glowed with a radiance that seemed impossible to achieve with mere paint on wood. He looked into her eyes. They seemed filled with sadness at all the evils of the world. 

'Do you have faith, Nicetas?' 

Sergius looked Nicetas in the eye in a way that was unsettling. It was as if he probed the very soul of the Master of Soldiers; as if he could see right to the heart of all Nicetas' self-doubt. Nicetas looked away. He envied Sergius his certainty. 

'I have faith in these walls,' he offered. 

'So do I,' Sergius accepted. 'So this is where I shall be. Until it is over. And this is where she will be too.' The Patriarch patted the icon in a manner which was not entirely respectful of its antiquity and averred power. 'She has ever watched over this city, Nicetas. Ever kept our walls safe.' 

'Let us hope then that she continues to do so.' Nicetas sighed. 'Will you accompany me on my rounds, Sergius? No doubt the sight of you will cheer the men.' 

The Master of Soldiers descended the stairway to the top of the inner wall with the Patriarch following behind. As they emerged onto the wall, the nearest militiamen caught sight of the icon and fell respectfully to their knees as they passed. Sergius held it high as they made their way along the wall, calling out to each detachment of defenders with words of encouragement. Cheering spread along the lower wall as men beheld it shining out from afar.  

'Let them hear you Romans,' Nicetas shouted out. 'Let them know that this is God's city and it will not fall!' 

                                                                   * 

Nicetas felt himself shaken firmly but respectfully awake and he roused himself from his makeshift bed in the gatehouse.  

'What time is it?' He demanded. 

'It is just past the turning of the fourth watch, Strategos,' came the soldier's reply.  

Nicetas grunted.  

'And why have you woken me?' He rubbed furiously at his eyes and reached for his boots. 

'They are coming against us, Strategos. It has begun.' 

Suddenly Nicetas felt as awake as if a bucket of freezing water had been flung over him. Leaping to his feet and jamming his helmet onto his head he dashed from the guardroom and ascended to the top of the north tower. It was already almost light and the columns of Avar attackers could be plainly seen as they advanced against the city. The Khan had split his forces into three divisions, each equipped with a siege tower and converging on one of the city gates. Riding out ahead of the advancing columns came spearheads of mounted bowmen. The nearest column was making straight for the Silver Gate, atop which Nicetas stood. The accompanying horsemen now rode in closer to the walls than they had previously dared, charging across the bridge that spanned the defensive moat in front of the outer wall to bring themselves within bow shot and loosing a flurry of arrows against the defenders. Most of the missiles rattled harmlessly against the stonework of the parapet but some passed overhead to drop into the void between the two walls. The defenders were unharmed and now returned fire as the horsemen wheeled about and charged back along the wall, loosing another volley of arrows as they galloped back towards the bridge. 

Nicetas made his way back through the gate house and descended the flight of steps to bring him to the outer wall. Emerging onto the rampart he was gratified to see men hurrying to their posts all along the wall. Looking north along the wall he could see detachments of Avar horsemen harassing the defenders at the other gates. A cheer went up from the wall as one rider was struck by a ballista bolt fired from one of the towers and flung clean from his horse into the moat. Another shower of arrows came over the wall from the horsemen below and around Nicetas two men fell wounded by the missiles. Then mercifully the Avar horsemen retreated with their arrows exhausted. No doubt they would soon return. 

As the horsemen withdrew across the bridge, a volley of arrows from the wall left several bodies sprawled in their wake.  

Nicetas took stock of the defences. Those soldiers whom the emperor had been able to spare for the defence of the city were concentrated on the lower wall around the gates where the Avar attack would fall first and hardest. The stretches of wall and the towers in between the gates were manned by the militias of the Greens and Blues. Every available man who could shoot a bow had been stationed along the lower wall. Every serviceable piece of artillery in the city had been brought up. Ballistae bristled on the lower walls and atop the gate towers the larger stone throwing catapults were ready to repel the attack of the siege towers.  

Nicetas looked at the faces of the men around him and was cheered by the grim determination he found there. The men's blood was up and the city of Constantinople was braced and ready to throw back the assault of her enemies with a storm of stone and steel. Let them come!