Pliny, among other Statuaries, mentions Anthermus of Chios, and his Sons Biopalus and Anthermus. Dionysius, a Native of Byzantium writes, that Byzas, from whom Byzantium took its Name, was the Husband of Phidalia, from whom the Port of the Bosporus took the Name of the Port of Phidalia, of which I have wrote more largely in my Treatise of the Bosporus. Suidas, and some modern Writers say, that in the Basilica, behind the Miliarium Aureum, there was a gilded Statue in the Likeness of a Man, where was also the Exammon of Heraclius, and the Statue of Justin the Emperor in a kneeling Posture. Terbelis is said to have preached in the same Place. Here was also placed by the Order of Severus, the Figure of a large Elephant, upon the following Occasion: That an Elephant being stabled near it, and the House of a Silver-Smith, who worked in Plate, being robbed, he suspecting the Keeper of the Elephant to be the Thief, threatned him with Death, unless he would move his Station; and the Fellow bidding him Defiance, he slew him, and threw him to the Elephant, at which the Beast being enraged, killed his Keeper’s Murderer. Severus being acquainted with the Fact, offered Sacrifices to the Elephant, commanded him and his Keeper to be cast in Brass, and set up here; where also, as Suidas relates, was the Statue of Hercules, to which the Byzantians paid divine Adoration, and offered Sacrifice. Afterwards, in the Consulship of Julian, it was moved into the Hippodrom; but was originally, with ten other Statues, brought from Old Rome, partly by Sea, and partly by Land Carriage. Thus it was that Hercules, living and dead, travelled the greatest Part of the World. Suidas writes, that in the Imperial Walks were placed the Equestrian Statues of Trajan, Theodosius, Valentinian, Gibbus, and Firmillianus the Buffoon. There were many other Statues of Emperors and Eunuchs set up in this Place, the most famous of which was the Statue of Eutropius, who was Chamberlain to the Emperor Arcadius. The Honour and Opulency of this Eunuch appeared in numberless gilded Statues, erected to him in every Part of the City, and the Magnificence and Superiority of the Houses he built, almost in every Street. This so far encouraged and increased the Number of the Eunuchs, that even the Boys affected to be so, that they might become as rich and as honourable as Eutropius. The Basilica was so near to the Miliarium, and the Augusteum, that the Clock made by the Command of the Emperor Justin, Cedrinus places in the Miliarium, others in the Forum Augusteum, and others in the Basilica, as is evident from the following Inscription.
On the Basis of the Dial over the Arch in the Basilica.
This Dial was erected at the Cost
Of Prince Justinus, and the fair Sophia.
The Scourge of execrable Tyrants he,
She the bright Patroness of Liberty.
Behold the Gnomon cast in shining Brass,
The certain Index of the flying Hours.
This was the Invention of the learned Julian
An honest, upright, and impartial Lawyer.