Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

the cities 577
However, although Asia Minor and Cyprus do not appear in the historical
records as involved in any other major military undertakings, they were
perhaps more vulnerable than we might assume to the effects of war beyond
their borders. The former patriarch of Constantinople, Eutychius, in exile
at Amasea in the early 570s, had to cope with a famine created by a sudden
influx of refugees fleeing the Persians. 12 In 578 the emperor Tiberius settled
Armenian prisoners of war in Cyprus; 13 and throughout the sixth century
there are hints that people displaced by war were moving westwards. The
Life of Theodore of Sykeon is chiefly taken up with local events in the villages
of his area; but Theodore had been conceived in an inn on the main
military road which led from Constantinople to Ancyra and the eastern
frontier, and the later chapters of his life are full of intimations of disaster,
as the reign of Phocas began and the Persian raids on the east intensified.
When the Persians finally broke into Asia Minor, their attacks were the culmination
of several decades of progressive destabilization.
iv. the cities
Despite this, it is clear that Asia Minor and Cyprus were essentially at peace
in the fifth and sixth century. This is of particular importance, since it is
clear that many aspects of life in the area did change; these changes cannot
therefore be explained as principally the result of pressure from external
forces, as in other provinces. One development that does suggest an
increased sense of insecurity is the building or rebuilding of fortifications
which took place in a considerable number of cities during the late Roman
period. Such structures are extremely difficult to date, and in earlier years
there was a tendency to date them all in the third century, which was seen
as a ‘difficult’ time, when it seemed reasonable for cities to adopt
fortifications; this is apparently what did happen at, for example, Ancyra
and Miletus.
But at many sites closer study has made it clear that the situation is much
more complex, although many fortifications remain undatable. In some
peaceful areas, such as Galatia and Lycaonia, Hellenistic fortifications were
rebuilt, but not very carefully. At Aphrodisias, city walls were built for the
first time in the fourth century, and repaired in the fifth; they seem to have
followed the outline of the Roman city, as did the late walls, of indeterminate
date, at Nysa on the Maeander. At Smyrna, the walls were built or
repaired under Arcadius. At Sagalassos, the late Roman walls appear to
have been built in the early fifth century, probably as a defence against the
inroads of the Isaurians; they enclosed most, but not all, of the Roman city,
as did the late Roman walls at Oenoanda. Amorium was substantially
12 Eustratius, Vita Eutychii 61 (PG lxxxvi.2, 2344b). 13 See Chrysos (1993) 9.
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