reading_gibbon: Chapter XVII: Constantinople and Constantine's system of government

The first quarter of the chapter is about the layout of the city of Constantinople; a good description, but hampered by Gibbon's not having his own personal experience of being there, and also could have done with a map. There is then a lengthy section on how the empire was governed: the setup of the civilian administration, of the military, and last but not least of the imperial palace. Finally there are notes on the security system (spies and torture) and on taxation.