Η Μεγάλη Αλυσίδα του Κερατίου Κόλπου και η αποκατάσταση της ιστορικής αλήθειας στη βυζαντινή Κωνσταντινούπολη
Part of : Δελτίο Εταιρείας Μελέτης της καθ' ημάς Ανατολής ; Vol.Γ, 2011, pages 521-599
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521-599
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The Great Chain of Golden Horn and the re-establishment of the historical truth in Byzantine Constantinople
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Abstract:
In the first centuries of the omnipotence of the Byzantine Empire, its powerful navy prevented the penetration of foreign powers into the vital space of its capital, which was the Golden Horn. However later, at the beginning of the 8th century with the weakening of its navy, the danger increased and the engineers and architects designed and constructed a Chain to block the 750m width opening of the Golden Horn with a versatile and complex system. It should be noted, that closing harbors using chains was used from ancient time till 18th century but their length never exceeded 40-60m. Although there are many references in Byzantine and Latin chronicles about this Legendary Chain, no one provided descriptions of technical details. The same applies in the case of later historians. Naturally because of the absence of archeological ruins for a correct approach of this very interesting technical achievement and for the documentation of the hypothesis, correlations, syllogisms etc. a thorough research was carried out using maps, carrying computations and constructing a model thus applying Experimental Archeology. In parallel a thorough study was done on texts describing naval warfare that took place near the Chain and especially those during the cosmohistoric siege of the year 1453 which resulted into the Fall of Constantinople. A comparative study and analysis of the mentioned data leads to the following conclusions: a) The Chain was not one-piece, it had 7 steady curves and 2 moving curves which were bonded on 8 flouters - boats. The rising and lowering of the Chain was done every second curve from the suspension towers, b) The process of moving the chain was carried out within two large size towers of 40m in height with a wheel of 7m diameter and a counterpoise of 5m diameter which had varying weight using sea water. The whole operation required only 3 persons and for each action - rising and lowering - the time needed was 15 seconds in maximum. It was a perfect defensive system and together with the other great weapon, the "greek fire" with which the "dromon" ships where equipped, the attacks against the enemy fleet were carried out. c) The re-establishment of the "Historical Truth" after a "Historical Fallacy" of 5.5 centuries. The thorough study leads surprisingly into a very interesting conclusion: contrary to what was or is believed by almost all the historians, the Chain was never violated since it was under protection. This didn't happen in 1453 either, during the siege and the Fall of Constantinople by Sultan Mehmet II with the 300 ship naval fleet.
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Περιέχει ποικίλα τεχνικά στοιχεία.
References (1):
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