Praetoria of Constantinople

Under Theophilos (r. 829–842) two brothers, Theodorus and Theophanes, were imprisoned in the praetorium,[6]and after being summoned before the urban prefect and having refused to take the Eucharist with the iconoclasts, were ordered by him to be branded on their forehead and torso with twelve iambic verses written by the Emperor.

The fire extended along the Mese (the main thoroughfare of the city), from the Palace of Lausus to the Ark in Constantine's Forum: among the victims was John Kroukis, the chief of the Greens.

[5] In 695, Leontius (r. 695–698), at that time strategos (military governor) of the theme of Hellas in southern Greece, landed in the Kontoskalion harbour and freed many soldiers imprisoned in the building, and with them he assaulted the Great Palace and deposed the Emperor.

[9][10][5] In the eleventh century, Theodosios, proedros and cousin of Constantine IX Monomachos (r. 1042–1055), rebelled against Michael VI Bringas (r. 1056–1056) and freed the prisoners of the praetorium's jail, inviting them to join him.

Constantine VII claimed that it was built at the request of Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik, commander of the Umayyad army during the Siege of Constantinople in 717–718.

Although the legend of Maslama's construction of a mosque in Constantinople is also found in contemporary Arab sources, it was most likely built at a much later date, when a sizeable Muslim community, of merchants, captives, exiles and other travellers, established itself in the city.