The Komennoi set up headquarters at Aretai, near the walls, & from there kept up a siege without engines

Summary:
Alexios (I) began his attack on Constantinople from a base at Aretai, where Romanos IV had built a delightful imperial retreat on a hill near the city, with pure, clear air and water. He used regular troops rather than stone-throwing machines, which would have taken too long to build 
Dates:
1081 
Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (Alexios 1)
  • Making his base at Aretai, he began his attack on Constantinople, using regular troops rather than artillery, which would have taken too long to build (:) Anna Komnene 77.74-81
Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes (Romanos 4)
  • He created a delightful imperial retreat at Aretai, with beautiful buildings on a hill not far from the city, where the air and water were both pure and clear (:) Anna Komnene 77.75