The rich history of seawall construction can be traced back thousands of years to the Eastern Roman Empire. The first seawalls are commonly attributed to the Roman Emperor Constantine I, also known as Constantine the Great, who ordered their construction in 448 A.D. The original marine barricades were built as part of a larger defense system designed to safeguard the city of Constantinople (present day Istanbul, Turkey) from attackers by land or sea. They were erected along the main land wall and bordered the city’s Propontis side (on the Sea of Marmara) as well as Khrysoun Keras (on the gulf of the Golden Horn).
Although few other details are known about those very first seaward walls, they undoubtedly provided the foundation for later maritime barricade endeavors. Following Constantinople’s expansion in 439 A.D., Theodosius II led reconstruction efforts to extend the original seawalls around the entire city. Though similar to the Theodosian Walls built in the 5th century, the renovated seawalls were more simplistic, consisting of a single, relatively low wall. This design was in keeping with the defense priorities during this period when the Roman navy reigned supreme.
During the Byzantine-Arab Wars, however, the naval threat escalated significantly due to the Arab conquests of Syria, Egypt, and Crete. These attacks compelled successive rulers to launch renovations of the seawalls, starting with Anastasios II in the early 8th century. Michael II followed his efforts with an extensive reconstruction initiative that focused on increasing the height, which was later completed by his successor, Theophilos.
Despite these fortification efforts, the Fourth Crusade’s successful siege of the city proved that the seawalls were still defensively inadequate; this costly defeat prompted Michael VIII Palaiologos to prioritize restorations that heightened and reinforced the seawalls when Constantinople was reclaimed in 1261.
Though the purpose of seawall construction has shifted from storming Venetian crusaders to just plain storms, protection remains an enduring theme. Today’s seawalls are invaluable structures that can help safeguard against catastrophic and costly damage caused by hurricanes and other storms. Like the ancient Romans, we continually strive to improve our seawall construction at Gibson Marine. We are committed to utilizing the most advanced technology and top-of-the-line materials to deliver consistently superior seawalls to our customers.
To learn more about our seawall construction services, please call (727) 942-3111 today!