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The formation process of the Regio quartadecima Constantinopolitana, Istanbul. Relocating Constantines walls
Abstract
The paper reconstructs the topography of Constantinoples fourteenth region (regio XIV) applying the urban morphology analysis methods (Caniggia and Maffei, 1979) and the attractors theory (Camiz, 2018) to the fragmentary documental sources and scarce archaeological data. The pontem sublicium sive ligneums location was determined as part of a street network, in analogy with the pons sublicius in Rome, according to the formation process of the territorial organism. This was the starting point for the reconstruction of the topographic mosaic. By redefining the path of the Constantinian walls upon quantitative sources it was possible to localise the monumental buildings of the XIV region, as listed in the Notitia Urbis Constantinopolitanae, with reference to the morphology of the territory described by Dionysius of Byzantium and the Patria Konstantinopoleos. The form of the territory is a permanent element within urban contexts of continuous changes, demolitions and reconstructions. The analysis of the urban tissues, the road networks diachronic attraction and the reconstruction of the territorial organism provided the general methodological framework for the placement of the topographical urban fragments mentioned by historical sources upon a GIS.
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