Anemas Dungeons were built by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius* (610-641) at the northwestern end of Constantinople's land walls.
However, Michael Anemas, who gives his name to the dungeons, lived 500 years later:
In 1107 general Anemas was found guilty of an assassination attempt against the emperor Alexius. He was imprisoned in these dungeons and his eyes were blinded. But princess Anna, the emperor's daughter, was in love with him and secretly helped him to escape the prison.
After Michael Anemas, many famous people were also imprisoned here.
Such as: Emperor Comnenus I, emperor Isaacius and his son prince Alexius, emperor Ioannes V Palaiologus, prince Andronicus Palaiologus, prince Savci Bey (son of sultan Murad I), etc...
(*) Heraclius was the last truly "Roman" emperor using Latin as the official language. The emperors who came after him started using Greek as the official language. Because of this, most scholars of Roman history start the "Byzantine Empire" after 641 AD.
(*) Mohammed sent Heraclius a famous letter in 627 AD, calling the Romans to join Islam.
November 30th, 2004, 12:01 PM
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