Chap. XXI.
Of the Chalcopratia.
IT is plain from what has been observed, that the Chalcopratia, or Places where they work’d their Brass, stood near the Basilica. Cedrinus reports, That Theodosius the Less built the Church of the Chalcopratia, and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary. Others say, that the Jews, who had lived there from the Time of Constantine the Great, had obliged Theodosius the Less to retire from thence, and built that Church; and that afterwards, when it had been shatter’d by an Earthquake, it was rebuilt by Justin Curopalatos, tho’ Zonaras is of another Opinion. Theodosius the Great, says he, marching into the Western Parts, the Jews took the Opportunity, and made Honoratus the Prefect of the City, their Friend, and obtain’d of him the Freedom to build a Synagogue in the Chalcopratia: The People being enraged at this, set it on fire, and burnt it down. When Theodosius was made acquainted with the Fact, he lay’d a Fine upon those who were concern’d in it, and gave them a fresh Licence to build another. St. Ambrose, who was then Bishop of Milan, being inform’d of the Matter, lay’d before Theodosius the Greatness of the Crime, in suffering the Jews to build a Synagogue in the very Centre of the Queen of Cities, upon which he remitted the Fine, and stopp’d their Proceedings. There are no Braziers Shops in this Place at present, they being removed into another part of the City, tho’ I was inform’d by some of the Inhabitants, that not many Years since they follow’d their Trade near the Chalcopratia. The unknown Author of the History of Constantinople, describing the Boundaries of Old Byzantium, tells us, That the Chalcopratia were not far from the Miliarium. Others say, that they were near the Church of St. Sophia. Strabo speaking of the Palace of Alexandria, relates, that in Conformity to this at Constantinople, it had a Library, a Portico, a Convocation-House, or Place of Assembly upon publick Affairs, and a large publick Foundation for the Encouragement of Persons of Literature and Science.
Chap. XXII.
Of the Portico’s situate between the Palace, and the Forum of Constantine.
BESIDES the Imperial Portico, which stood near the Library, there were also other Portico’s at a little Distance from it, which reach’d from the Palace to the Forum of Constantine. The first Fire, which happen’d in the Reign of Justinian, consumed the Palace and the Church of St. Sophia, both the long Portico’s, as far as the Forum of Constantine. Cedrinus says, that besides these, it destroy’d also the Chalca and the Augusteum. The Fire that happen’d afterwards in the Reign of Basiliscus, began at the Chalcopratia, burnt down the two adjoining Portico’s, all the neighbouring Buildings, the Basilica, in which was the Library, two Portico’s which stood between the Palaces, and all the fine Ornaments of the Lausus. These Portico’s have been often burnt, and as often rebuilt; first of all by Justinian, then by others, and last by Domninus, which is confirm’d by a modern Historian, who says, That when Constantinople was taken by the Gauls and the Venetians, the cover’d Portico’s of Domninus reaching on both Sides of the Way, from the Miliarium to the Forum of Constantine, were burnt to the Ground. Some say, That in the Time of Constantine the Great, Eubulus built four double Portico’s, which were arch’d at Top, and reach’d from the Palace to the Land Wall of the City; one of which stretch’d as far as the Church of St. Anthony, at the End of the City, another from the Port of Sophia, to the Church named Rabdon; the other two extended themselves from the Chalca, and the Miliarium to the Forum of Constantine, the Street call’d Taurus, and the Brazen Bull. All of them were paved with square Marble, and adorn’d with infinite Numbers of Statues. These Relations, though they come from unknown Authors, who, as I have sometimes observed, have not so strictly adhered to Truth, yet seem to carry with them a good Face of Probability, since it is evident from Historians of more Veracity, how industrious Constantine was in adorning the City; and ’tis no less evident from the Treatise of the ancient Description of the Wards, that Constantinople, in the Reigns of Arcadius and Honorius, had no less than fifty two publick Portico’s, five of which the Author places in the fourth Ward, in which stood the Basilica, the Imperial Portico, and the Portico of Fannio; besides which, he places four large Portico’s in the sixth Ward. In the same Ward he places another large Portico. He adds, that the seventh Ward abounds with Portico’s, and that the eighth Ward had six Portico’s more. In the ninth Ward were two large Portico’s. The tenth had six, the eleventh four. From which it is credible, that the Portico’s stood very thick from the Chalca to the Land Wall, but I cannot say they were contiguous beyond the Taurus.
Chap. XXIII.
Of the Miliarium Aureum and its Statues, and of the Fortune of the City, and her Statue.
THE Miliarium Aureum was a gilded Pillar, from whence they used to adjust the Mensuration of their Miles, and the Distances from the City. Pliny tells us, that it was set up at Rome in the highest Ground of the publick Forum; but whether the Miliarium at Constantinople was like that of Rome, the Greek Historians have been so far from declaring their Opinions concerning it, that in all their Writings they have not so much as mention’d the Name of it. Yet it seems very probable to me, that it was like it, and was also seated in the Forum, or near it. For the Ancient Description of the Wards places it in the Ward where the Forum Augusteum and the Basilica stood, to which it adjoin’d. They who have written the History of the Atchievements of Alexius Comnenus the Emperor, tell us, that at Break of Day, the Forces of Alexius, marching out of the great Palace, under the Command of Sabatius their General, enter’d the Church of St. John the Divine, and when they had got to the Top of the Church, they express’d themselves in a provoking manner, so that a Battle began about three in the Morning, and that many People in the Forum were wounded, who fought from the Roof of the Miliarium, and the Top of St. John’s Church. The Inhabitants say, that this was the Church where the Elephants of the Grand Seignor are now stabled. ’Tis near the Hippodrom, and the Forum Cupedinis, famous for Niceties, situate near the Church of St. Sophia, and was formerly called the Forum Augusteum. But to come closer to the Point: Suidas says, That in the Basilica, behind the Miliarium, were placed a gilded Statue of a Man, as also of an Elephant and his Keeper; others, with more Probability, say, that these Statues were erected behind the Basilica, near the Miliarium. Suidas adds, that the Statue of Theodosius was placed in the Miliarium, and that upon the setting it up, he distributed large Donations of Corn among the People. Upon the Equestrian Statue of Theodosius, not remaining at present, were inscrib’d these Verses.