The Antiquities of Constantinople

The Eighth Ward

THE eighth Ward, on the Side of the Taurus, is not bounded by the Sea, and may be looked upon to be rather a narrow, than a broad Piece of Ground; yet is this Defect sufficiently amended by its great Length. It contains part of the Forum of Constantine, a Portico on the left Side of it, reaching as far as the Taurus; the Basilica of Theodosius; the Capitol; twenty two Streets; a hundred and eight spacious Houses; five large Portico’s; fifteen private Baths; five private Mills; five Gradus, and two Flesh Markets. It has one Curator, one Vernaculus, seventeen Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.

This Ward is wholly encompassed by the Land, and contains part of the Taurus, which was a Street of Constantinople. Zonaras in his Life of Nicephorus Botoniates, takes Notice of it, and tells us, that it contained Part of the Forum of Constantine, a Portico on the left Side of it, reaching as far as the Taurus, the Basilica of Theodosius, and the Capitol: In such magnificent Buildings, more especially, did Constantinople much resemble Old Rome.

The Ninth Ward

THE ninth Ward is all a Declivity, and bounded by the Sea. It contains the two Churches of Cænopolis, and Omonæa; the Granaries of Alexandria; the House of the most illustrious Arcadia; the Bagnio’s of Anastasia; the Granaries of Theodosius; sixteen Streets; a hundred and sixteen great Houses; two large Portico’s; fifteen private Baths; fifteen private, and four publick Mills. ’Tis governed by one Curator, one Vernaculus, thirty eight Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.

The two Churches of Cænopolis, and Omonæa.] I am of Opinion, that the first of these Churches took its Name from some Place in the City. Perhaps it was call’d so from a Spring without the Porta Aurea, which had made the Ground foul, and oozy. Leo, before he came to the Government, as the Story goes, anointed the Eyes of a blind Man with the Dirt of that Place, and he recover’d his Sight. When he arriv’d afterwards to the Imperial Dignity, he dedicated a Church to the Virgin Mary, who foretold his Accession to the Government. Nicephorus, in Lib. XV. Cap. 25. Hist. Ecclesiast. (and Procopius confirms it) says, that in the Suburbs, which was called Fons, or the Spring, Justinian repair’d the Church of the Blessed Virgin. The other Church is call’d Ὁμόνοια, or the Church of Concord; because, probably in the Times of Heathenism, the Temple of Concord stood there; as there were no less than three such Temples at Rome. One of which was dedicated to her by M. Furius Camillus, upon a Suppression of a Military Tumult; the second by M. Manlius Prætor, upon quelling such another Tumult in Gaul; and the third in the Forum Romanum, near the Græcostasis, by L. Opimius the Consul, upon the Defeat of Gracchus and his Party, in Opposition to the strongest Resentments of the People; so that the Inscription over this Temple was Opus Vecordiæ, and not Concordiæ. There was also another Temple dedicated to Concord, which was either built, or repair’d by Livia Augusta, as is observed by St. Austin. Lib. III. Cap. 2. de Civit. Dei. One of these Temples was repaired by Constantine for Christian Worship, as is evident from an antient Inscription in the Lateran.

The Granaries of Alexandria.] There were yearly carried from Alexandria to Constantinople, eight Millions of Medimni of Wheat, (each Medimnus of Attick Measure consisted of six Bushels) for which the Masters of the Ships by an Edict of Justinian, received the Sum of ninety Thousand Aurei. There was antiently rais’d by Order of the Senate, and the principal Inhabitants, the Sum of six hundred and eleven Pounds in Gold, which was lodged in the Hands of the Prefect of the City, for purchasing Provision; to which the Emperor added another Import, for purchasing Corn from Alexandria, Lib. III. Cod. Theod. de Frumen. Urb. Constan. This Corn, when brought to Constantinople, was laid up in Granaries, which were therefore called the Granaries of Alexandria.

The House of the most illustrious Arcadia.] This Lady, as Cedrinus relates, was the Daughter of Arcadius. She had another House in the tenth Ward. Arcadius had by the Empress Eudocia, three Daughters, Pulcheria, Marina, and Arcadia, who all lived in a State of Celibacy.

The Bagnio’s of Anastasia.] These Bagnio’s were so call’d from Anastasia, the Daughter of Valens, as others were from her Sister Carosia abovementioned. Marcellinus, in his Seventeenth Book observes, that these Bagnio’s took their Name from Anastasia. Paulas Diaconus tells us in his Thirteenth Book, that there’s a very large House in Constantinople called Carya, which signifies a Nut: For, says he, there stands in the Porch of this House a Nut-tree, on which, as the Report goes, St. Achatius suffered Martyrdom. Upon this Account, there is also an Oratory built in the same Place. Procopius also mentions a Man, who went to the Bagnio’s of Anastasia, which took their Name, says he, from the Sister of Constantine.

The Tenth Ward

THE tenth Ward, on the other Side of the City, is divided from the ninth by a broad Way, yet is it much more upon the Level; nor is it, in any Part of it uneven, but near the Sea Shore. ’Tis of a proportionable Length and Breadth, and contains in it; the Church of St. Achatius; the Bagnio’s of Constantine; the House of Augusta Placidia; the House of Augusta Eudocia; the House of the most illustrious Arcadia; a large Nympheum; twenty Streets; six hundred and thirty six great Houses; six large Portico’s; twenty two private Baths; two publick, and sixteen private Mills; and twelve Gradus. It has one Curator, one Vernaculus, ninety Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.

The Church of St. Achatius.] This good Man suffered Death at Constantinople, as I just observed, upon a Nut-tree, which Nicephorus says, remained in the Middle of the Church, sacred to his Memory in the Reign of Arcadius, though he was martyr’d in the Time of Dioclesian an hundred Years before. For, speaking of Procopius the Tyrant, The Church, says he, which was demolished with Age, was rebuilt, and beautified by Justinian. And Procopius the Historian tells us in Lib. de Ædif Just. That Justinian rebuilt it from the Ground, and that it cast such a Lustre, that it struck the Spectators with Admiration, its Marble being very glossy, and white as Snow. He adds farther, that this Church was called the Martyrdom of St. Achatius, because he was buried there, which happened on the sixth of May.

The Bagnio’s of Constantine.] Gyllius says they were the Bagnio’s of Constantius, and which, indeed, are often mentioned by Sozomen, Socrates, and Suidas; but ’tis more probable that these Bagnio’s were built by Constantine, who was indefatigable in beautifying the City with many Decorations.

The House of Placidia Augusta.] This Lady was the Daughter of Theodosius the Less, who afterwards resided in Italy, with her Brother Honorius.

The House of Augusta Eudocia.] She was the most learned Woman of her Age, and wrote the Life of Christ in Greek Hexameters, after the Manner of Homer. At last being suspected by her Husband of Adultery, and divorc’d, she went to Jerusalem, but upon the Death of Theodosius, as Zonaras and Nicephorus write, returned again to Constantinople.

The Eleventh Ward

THE eleventh Ward, much wider in Compass than the former, is, in no part of it, bounded by the Sea. The whole of it, level and rising Ground, contains, the Church of the Apostles; the Palace of Flacilla; the House of Augusta Pulcheria; the Brazen Bull; the Cistern of Arcadius; the Cistern of Modestus; five hundred and three great Houses; four large Portico’s; fourteen private Baths; one publick, and three private Mills; and seven Gradus. It has one Curator; one Vernaculus; thirty seven Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.

The Church of the Apostles.] Cedrinus and Eusebius write, that this Church was rebuilt by Constantine. Eusebius, Lib. IV. Cap. 58. de Vita Const. says, that to perpetuate the Memory of the Apostles, he began to build a Church, in the City called after his own Name. When he had built the Church to a very great Height, he beautify’d it with Stones of all Kinds, and inlay’d it with Variety of the most delicate Marble, from the Pavement to the Top of the Church; and having closed the Roof with Arches of the best Workmanship, he gilded it over. The Top of the Church, on the Outside of it, was cover’d with Brass, to secure it from the Violence of the Weather, part of which was also gilded; so that the amazing Splendour of it, reflected the Rays of the Sun to a very great Distance. The inward part of the Church he cover’d with Net-work, which was artificially made of Brass and Gold. Thus beautifully was the Church adorn’d by the great Care and Application of the Emperor. Before it stood a spacious Court, with an open Gallery round it. The Church and the Gallery were wholly surrounded with Portico’s. The Palace, the Bagnio’s, the Walks, and many Houses built for the Accommodation of those who look’d after them, had all of them the Conveniency of some Portico. In this Church was laid the Body of Constantine, in a golden Chest, the twelve Apostles standing round his Tomb. This is attested by Socrates. This Church was afterwards rebeautified by Justinian. For Procopius, Lib. de Ædif. Just. speaks of it thus: There was, says he, an ancient Church at Constantinople, just sinking with Age. This Church, for the Reverence he bore to it, was repair’d by Justinian, where the Masons and Workmen found three wooden Chests or Coffins, which proved by their Inscriptions, that the Bodies of St. Luke, St. Andrew and Timothy, were interr’d there, and which were viewed by Justinian, and the Christians of those Times, with the greatest Admiration.

The Palace of Flacilla.] If we read it Falcilla, it is meant of another Daughter of Arcadius; if Placilla, she was the Wife of Theodosius the Great, whom Paulus Diaconus calls Flacilla.

The Brazen Bull.] This Bull, Cedrinus writes, was brought from Troy. There was, says he, a Stove in which St. Antipas the Martyr was burnt to Death. Some are of Opinion, that this Stove was the Brazen Bull here mention’d, which was invented by Perillus, who was forced to undergo the same Torment by Phalaris, a cruel Tyrant of Agrigentum. Zonaras relates, that Phocas the Tyrant was burnt in a Bull, i. e. in a brazen Stove made in the Shape of a Bull, brought from Pergamus, which Place gave its Name to a Place near Constantinople.

The Cistern of Modestus.] Modestus was first chief Governour of the East, and was afterwards, Præfectus Prætorio, or General of the Life-Guard to Valens. As he was an Arian, he persecuted the Catholicks. Afterwards he was recovered from a dangerous Illness by the Prayers of St. Basil, as ’tis recorded by Gregory Nazianzen in his Funeral Oration upon him. I take this to be the same Person who built the Cistern here mention’d.

The Twelfth Ward

THE twelfth Ward, from the Entrance of the City at the Porta Aurea, is a long way upon the Level. ’Tis extended on the left Side of it by a gentle Descent, and is bounded by the Sea. This Ward is better guarded, and more handsomly beautified than any other, the Walls rising higher here than in any other part of the City. It contains the Porta Aurea; the Portico’s of Troas; the Forum of Theodosius; A Column with winding Stairs in its Inside; the Mint, or Treasury; the Port of Theodosius; eleven Streets; three hundred and sixty three great Houses; three large Portico’s; five private Baths; five private Mills, and nine Gradus. It has one Curator, one Vernaculus, thirty four Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.

The Porta Aurea.] The Greeks call it ὡραία both on the account of its own Beautifulness, and that of the neighbouring Buildings; so that it is a palpable Mistake in those who call it Porta Neoria from the Dock, which is near to it. I take this to be the same Gate which Zonaras mentions in his Life of Leo the Philosopher. He calls it the Western Gate of the Golden Triclinium, from whence it is call’d the Porta Aurea, as is observ’d by Nicetas in his Life of Alexius Ducas, Marzulfus, and in the History of their Atchievements, after they had taken the City; as also by Nicephorus Gregoras, in his Treatise entituled, The Entry of Michael Palæologus into the City. In this Gate it is reported, the Elephants were stabled, which were much like those with which Theodosius made his publick Entry into Constantinople, as ’tis mention’d by Cedrinus. Some Historians tell us, that they were transported to Constantinople from the Temple of Mars Atheniensis. This Gate stood Easterly, facing the Sea, and as Nicephorus observes, overlook’d the Imperial Citadel through the City to a great Distance, and that from thence you might look very far backwards into the Inland Countries. This Gate, in a direct Line, was distant from the Sea-shore fourteen thousand and seventy five Feet, so that the City was about three Miles in Length.

The Portico’s of Troas.] I believe these Portico’s took their Name either from the People of Troas, who, while they continued there, built them; or from some Part of the City so call’d, or because some Goods and Merchandize were imported thither from Troas, as I observed before of the Granaries of Troas.

A Column with winding Stairs on its Inside.] Upon this Pillar was erected the Statue of Theodosius, which, as Zonaras writes, was near the Porta Aurea, and fell down in the Reign of Leo Isaurus. Gyllius is of Opinion, that this was the Statue of Arcadius, that the Shaft of it, with the Pedestal and Capital, consisted of twenty one Stones; and adds, that the Battels of Theodosius were carv’d upon it.

The Thirteenth Ward

THE thirteenth Ward is call’d the Sycæne Ward, which is divided from the City by a narrow Bay of the Sea, and maintains an Intercourse with it by Boats, and small Vessels. It stands wholly upon the Side of it, except a broad Tract of Land, which lies Level, at the Foot of it, near the Sea-shore. It contains one Church, the Bagnio’s and Forum of Honorius; A Theatre; A Dock for Ship-building; four hundred and thirty one great Houses; one large Portico; five private Bagnio’s; one publick, and four private Mills; with eight Gradus. It has one Curator, one Vernaculus, thirty four Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.

The Sycene Ward.] This Ward is a Peninsula divided from Constantinople by a small Bay of the City. ’Tis at present call’d Galata, or Pera. Stephanus (de Urbibus) tells us, that Sycæ is a small City over against New Rome, which in his Time was called Justiniana. But Justinian himself, Novel. 59. Cap. 5. places it so far within the new Walls of the City, that, as he says, it ought to be looked upon as a Part of it. It was named by the Greeks Sycæna, from the great Produce it bears of the best Figs, as is observed by Cedrinus and Dionysius a Byzantian. ’Tis not inhabited at present by the Franks, for so the Greeks call the Latines. Gyllius is of Opinion that it was called Galata, because Brennus, Captain General of the Gauls, whom the Greeks call Γαλάται marched thither with his Army. It was also called Pera, that is, the Ferry, or Peræa, and stood on the other Side of the Water; as Josephus relates, that Judæa was on the other Side of Jordan; and as Strabo mentions a Place, which he says was on the other Side of Euphrates. Anastasius in his Constitutions calls it Sycæ, or the Ferry of Sycæ, where he commands the Dead to be bury’d without Fee, or Reward. ’Tis divided by a Hill that runs from North to South, and is bounded on each Side by two Vales, of a Mile in Length. Its Walls are four Thousand four Hundred Paces in Compass. Near to it, Justinian in his 159th Nov. seems to fix the Suburbs called Coparium: And Socrates in his 30th Chap. of his Eccles. Hist. tells us, that there’s a Place just against the City, which is called Sycæ. The Church of the Novatians was translated hither in the Reign of Constantine.

It maintained an Intercourse with Constantinople, by Boats and small Vessels.] There were in the Bay here many Thousands of small Boats, far exceeding the Number of those which are at Venice to carry Passengers from one Shore to the other, so that this Peninsula might reasonably be looked upon as a Part of the City. ’Tis almost surrounded with Mountains, at the Foot of which, towards the Sea, it lies all upon a Level to the opposite Shore. It contained a Church, the Forum, and Theatre of Honorius, and many other Ornaments and Curiosities in common with other Wards. There stood here a magnificent Church dedicated to St. Irene, which was built by Pertinax, who had pass’d the Consular Dignity, and was then Patriarch of Constantinople: And Constantine, when he had beautified the Ward with many stately Buildings, enclosed it with a Wall, as ’tis recorded by Cardinal Baronius in his Annals of the Year 314.

The Dock.] There was also a Place in this Ward where they built their Ships.

The Author has taken no Notice of two Streets which belonged to this Ward, and which would complete the Number of three hundred and twenty two Streets, mentioned in the Conclusion of his Treatise; but without the Addition of them, we can reckon them three hundred and twenty and no more.

The Fourteenth Ward

Although this Ward is look’d upon to be a fourteenth Part of the City, yet because it is divided from the other Wards by an intermediate Space of Land, and enclosed within its own Walls, it makes the Figure of a small City by it self. The Entrance of it at the Gate is somewhat upon the Level; but the right Side of it, rising into an Ascent, almost to the Middle of the broad Way, falls into a deep Descent, and ends afterwards near the Sea in a Plain. It contains a Church; the Palace; a Nympheum; some Baths; a Theatre; a Lusorium; a Wooden Bridge; eleven Streets; a hundred and sixty seven great Houses; two large Portico’s; five private Baths; one publick, and one private Mill; with five Gradus.

The fourteenth Ward, which is enclosed within its own Walls, makes the Figure of a kind of small City by it self.] It was antiently looked upon to be a small City, because one of the Emperors had built there an Imperial Citadel. ’Tis very mountainous about it, and it descends towards the Sea, into the Bosom of a Plain. The Name of the Church in this Ward is not known at present.

A Palace.] This is the Place of Imperial Residence, which was antiently called Palatium, because Augustus dwelt in Mount Palatine at Rome. The Dwelling-House of Romulus was also called by the same Name. Wherefore, says Dion, speaking of Augustus, let the Emperor be where he pleases, yet the Place where he constantly dwells, is always called his Palace.

A Lusorium.] This probably was the same Place with the Ludus Venatorius, in which the Combatants exercised themselves before they engaged with wild Beasts; yet is it more probable, that it was so called from the Naves Lusoriæ, which were built there, of which Marcellinus takes Notice in his sixth Book, as also the Code of Theodosius de Lusoriis Danubii.

A Wooden Bridge.] Suidas writes, that near the Church of St. Mamas, there was a Bridge which consisted of twelve Arches, for there was a great Flood of Waters there. I believe this was after chang’d into a Stone Bridge.

Five Gradus, or Stairs.] At the End of this Ward, after the five Gradus, I would correct the Omission of my Author, by comparing this with the other Wards, and adding one Curator, one Vernaculus, thirty seven Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.

The Author, in his following summary View of the City, mentions five hundred and sixty Collegiati, but to complete the Number of them, there are wanting seven. Theodosius the Less has added three in Lib. de Commer. & Mercat. and makes the Number of them to be five hundred and sixty three.

A Summary View of the whole City

Having taken a particular View of the City, as divided into Wards, I shall now, continues my Author, give the Reader a more large and general Description of it, to shew that its Beauty and Magnificence is not only to be ascribed to Art and good Workmanship, but that Nature herself by the Mediation of the Elements, has happily contributed to its Security and Defence. The divine Providence has with so much Wisdom consulted the Preservation of its Inhabitants, even to future Ages, that a long Tract of Land, in the Nature of a Promontory, full of Windings and Harbours in its Sides, facing the Chaps of the Black-Sea, narrow in Breadth, is strongly fortified by the Sea. The Isthmus, the only Part of the City not bounded by the Sea, is at the same Time strengthened with a double Wall with numerous Towers on its Ramparts. The City thus enclosed and defended, contains in the Whole the following Buildings. Five Palaces; fourteen Churches; five divine Houses of the Augustæ; three of the most illustrious Ladies; eight Bagnio’s; two Basilica’s; four Fora’s; two Senate-Houses; five Granaries, or Store-Houses; two Theatres; two Lusoria; four Havens; one Circo; four Cisterns; four Nymphea; three hundred and twenty two Streets; four Thousand three hundred and eight large Houses; fifty two Portico’s; a hundred and fifty three private Baths; twenty publick, and a hundred and twenty private Mills; a hundred and seventeen Gradus; five Flesh Markets; one Porphyry Pillar; two Pillars with winding Stairs; one Colossus; one Golden Tetrapylum; the Forum of Augustus; the Capitol; the Mint, or Treasury; and three Gradus by the Sea-Shore. It was under the Care and Government of fourteen Curators, fourteen Vernaculi, five hundred and sixty Collegiati, and sixty five Vico-Magistri. The Length of the City from the Porta Aurea in a direct Line to the Sea-Shore, is fourteen Thousand and seventy five Feet; the Breadth of it, six Thousand one Hundred and fifty. Thus concludes the Author of the Description, I shall now go on with my