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(Chronicle AM 6258)
On 16 November of the same 5th indiction (766) the eunuch Niketas, a Slav was unlawfully ordained by the emperor's decree patriarch of Constantinople. There ensued a drought, such that even dew did not fall from heaven and water entirely disappeared from the City. Cisterns and baths were put out of commission; even those springs that in former times had gushed continuously now failed. On seeing this the emperor set about restoring Valentinian's (Valens') aqueduct, which had functioned until Herakleios and had been destroyed by the Avars (in 626). He collected artisans from different places and brough from Asia and Pontos 1,000 masons and 200 plasterers, form Hellas and the islands 500 clay-workers, and from Thrace itself 5,000 labourers and 200 mrickmakers. He set taskmasters over them including one of the patricians. When the work had thus been completed, water flowed into the City.
Comment by Crow 2008: The types of labourers mentioned in this passage are discussed by Dalman (1933), 6.
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