Some modern Historians will have it, that Constantine the Great first built the Palace of Chalca. I should be inclinable to disbelieve them, but that I am induced to think it was so, when I observ’d the brazen Tyles gilded with Gold, resembling those of the Capitol, and a Forum of Old Rome, whose Buildings Constantine was proud to imitate, as near as he could. I could never learn, who it was who remov’d the Tyles of the Chalca; though it is not improbable, but that they were spoiled by the Fire. ’Tis related by Procopius, that Genseric plunder’d half the Roman Capitol of the gilded Plates of Brass that cover’d it, and that Constantine the Third, the Nephew of Heraclius, carry’d off the Silver Plates which were laid over the Pantheon. At a small Distance (on the South-west Side of the Church of St. Sophia) from the Water-Pipes of an Aqueduct running from a Conduit situate in the Forum Augusteum, where was erected the Pillar of Justinian, are still remaining seven Corinthian Pillars, on the Shaft of one of which is cut the Name of Constantine, with the Signal of the Cross he saw in the Heavens, with this Inscription, ἐν τούτῳ νίκα. The Basis and Shaft of these Pillars are buried, at the Bottom of them, under Ground, to the Depth of six Foot, which I discover’d, when I casually fell into the Foundation of the Walls, which were built between them. I could not see the Plinth of the Base of any of them, because it was cover’d with Earth; yet I perceiv’d the lowermost Tore, which was eight Digits in Thickness, and seven in Height. The Stone at the Bottom of the Shaft was nine Inches broad. Every Pillar is thirty Foot and six Digits high: In short, the whole Pillar, Capital and Pedestal, is about forty six Foot and a half in Height. The Bottom of the Shaft, which I measured just above the Stone it bears upon, is eighteen Foot in Circumference. The Pillars stand at the Distance of twenty Foot and ten Digits from each other. The Inhabitants say, that these Pillars stood within the Palace of Constantine; others say, that they formerly supported a Bridge, over which you passed, as you went from the Palace to the Church of St. Sophia. But there is nothing of Truth in either of these Opinions; for ’tis plain from what I observed before, that they stood in the Forum Augusteum. So that I am inclined to believe, that they supported the Arches of the Portico’s, in which the Statues of Constantine the Great, his Mother Helena, and other Statues were placed. From what I have said, the Reader may trace the Beauty and Grandeur of the Palaces at Constantinople, as well as from Zosimus, who says, that Constantine built some Palaces at Constantinople, little inferior to those of Rome. Eusebius reports, that he illustrated and adorn’d New Rome, and the Imperial Palace, in other respects, besides those I have mention’d, but that in the finest Buildings of his Palace, and in the Middle of all his gilded Roofs, he fix’d a Cross set with several Kinds of the richest Jewels, shining with massy Gold; intimating thereby, that he look’d upon the Cross as the Defence and Bulwark of his Government. St. Jerome tells us, That he stripp’d almost every City of its Curiosities and Ornaments, to adorn his New Rome. Eusebius also mentions the Statues of the Muses, which he caused to be fix’d up in his Palace. Sozomen writes, that by the Command of Constantine, all that was valuable in the Temples of the Ancients under his Government, and all the brazen Statues of the nicest Workmanship were brought to Constantinople, to beautify the City; which, he tells us, remain’d in the publick Ways, in the Hippodrom, and in the Palace, down to his Time. But not only Constantine the Great, but many other Emperors of Constantinople ravaged the whole World for the Decoration of this City. Among these was Constantine the Third, the Nephew of Heraclius, who plunder’d ancient Rome of all its brazen and Marble Statues, ship’d off all the costly Furniture of their Temples, and made more Havock there in the Space of seven Days, than the barbarous Nations did in the Space of two hundred and fifty Years; for so many Years was the Roman Empire in its Declension before that general Pillage. Iornandes, no indifferent Writer of the Getick History, reports, That Theodorick Prefect of Constantinople was adopted, and made Consul by the Emperor Zeno, who honour’d him with an Equestrian Statue, which was erected before the Palace. Tzetzes, in his various History, tells us, that even in his Time, the Head of Apollo, made by Phidias in the Likeness of the Sun, remain’d in the Palace. Suidas relates, that the Statue of Pulcheria, the Daughter of Arcadius, was placed in the Chalca, near the Walks of Ariadne the first Wife of Zeno, and that the Statues of Zeno himself were set up in the Imperial Gate-house of Chalca; as were also two other Statues on foot, erected upon a small Pillar, with Elegies inscrib’d upon them, composed by Secundus the Philosopher. I have seen in the History of no creditable Author, tho’ well known to the People of Constantinople, that Justinian erected on the left Side of the Chalca, seven Statues in Honour of his Relations, some of Brass, and some of Marble, and that he had also set up two Horses in the Nich before the Chalca, as also some gilded Heads of Women, in the frightful Likeness of Medusa; I could mention others, but that I do not much depend upon the Authority of the History. Suidas says, that in the Tribunal of the Palace stood the Statues of Eudoxia, and her Emperor Theodosius; of Marcian and Constantine, till the Time of Heraclius.
Chap. XIX.
Of the Basilica, and the Imperial Walks.
THE Basilica, which, as I observed before, stood in the Forum Augusteum, had four Arches, as appears from the ancient following Inscriptions on them.
Upon an Arch in the Basilica of Byzantium.
Great Theodore, who beautify’d the City
With four extensive Arches, highly merits
The Government of four Imperial Cities.
And on another Part of the same Arch: