THE Author of the Description of the Wards relates, that the fourteenth Ward, though it is looked upon as a Part of the City, yet because it is divided from the other Wards by an intermediate Space of Land, and enclosed with its own Walls, makes the Figure of a small City by it self; and adds, among other Particularities, that 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 Ascent, and contains a Church, the Palace, &c. It is very probable, one would think, or at least it looks to be so, that any one who had never seen Constantinople, could learn from this Description in what Part of the City stood the fourteenth Ward. But since, nothing of the antient Buildings are remaining there at present, no not so much as the Bridge, or the very Channel of the River; there is some Room for Enquiry, where was the Place of its Situation. For I am entirely ignorant of the Gate whence its Entrance begins, which is somewhat upon the Level. It is possible that I might also discover the Situation of it, if I knew where the right Side of the Ward was, which rose into an Ascent. ’Tis plain that this Ward did not stand on the fifth Hill from hence, that the Author tells us, that it was divided from other Wards by some intermediate Space. Had this Ward been divided from other Wards by a small Tract of Land only, it had been very injudicious in the Inhabitants to have enclosed it with a Wall by it self, when it stood so near the Walls of the City. I would observe farther, that ’tis inconceivable that there could be any Bridge on the fifth, sixth, or seventh Hills of the City, or without the Walls of the City; nor is there any Valley running between the fifth or the third Hill, where there’s any Bridge, or any Water, unless it can be imagined that it had any small Creek, which is now filled up, with a Bridge over it. If it could be supposed that there formerly stood any Bridge beyond the sixth Hill, in the Street called Avasarius, we could conclude it to be no other than what was built over the Bay of Ceras, near which are still seen the Piles of a Bridge. And in all Probability the sixth Hill was wholly inhabited, by Reason of the Nearness and Goodness of its Roads from Thrace. This is the more probable, if it be considered, that the Suburbs called the Hepdomum, were seated on the sixth Hill, which excited Theodosius the Less, by Reason of its Nearness to Constantinople to enlarge the Walls of the City.
Chap. IV.
Of the Hepdomum, a Part of the Suburbs; of the Triclinium of Magnaura; of the Cyclobion; of the Statue of Mauritius, and his Armory; and of the Place called the Cynegium.
THE Suburbs, call’d the Hepdomum, stood upon the third Hill, which is now enclosed within the Walls of the City. This is plain from the Situation of the Church of St. John Baptist, whom, even at this Time, the Greeks call the Πρόδρομος, or Fore-runner of our Saviour. This Church is seated on the Eastern Side of the City. ’Tis almost entirely demolished by the Mahometans, and nothing of it remains but a few Marble Pillars, expecting the last Effort of their Sacrilege. This was a costly and magnificent Building, as appears, among other Tokens, from the Cistern of Bonus, which was built by a Nobleman of that Name, and seated a little above it. It was three hundred Paces long; its Roof and Columns are entirely ruined, and its Situation at present is turned into a Garden. Sozomen says, that Theodosius the Great brought over the Head of St. John Baptist, from a Village call’d Coslaus, near Pantichium, in Chalcedon, and placed it before Constantinople in the Hepdomum, and there built a large and handsome Church to the Honour of God. The same Author attests, that Theodosius, when he marched his Army against Eugenius, as soon as he came out of the City, offered his Prayers to God, in St. John Baptist’s Church, which he had built in the Hepdomum. Procopius pays too great a Compliment to Justinian, when he reports him to have built this Church in the forementioned Suburbs. Zonaras tells us, that in the Reign of Constantine surnamed Pogonatus, the Hagarens besieged the City with a numerous Fleet, which extended itself from the Promontory situated in the Hepdomum Westward, as far as the Cyclobion. Other Historians mention the same Thing; namely, that they had their Station from the said Promontory, or the Triclinium of Magnaura, as far Easterly as the Palace call’d Cyclobion. From which Passage I would observe by the By, that Magnaura was a Place in the Hepdomum. Cedrinus asserts, that Philip of Macedon, built there a round Solar, and placed in the Court of it his own Statue, and built an Armory there. Others write, that Mauritius the Emperor built the Triclinium of Magnaura, and that he erected his Statue, and built the Armory there. Over the Triclinium are inscribed these Verses;
Upon the Triclinium of Magnaura.
Heraclius and his Son Constantine,
With Conquest crown’d, and loaden with Success,
Under th’ auspicious Influence of the Cross,
Built, with surprizing Speed, this beauteous Structure.
The Cistern of Magnaura, which stood near the Palace, was demolished by Heraclius; and, as Cedrinus relates, was afterwards cleansed, and rebuilt by Order of Philip, King of Macedon. Some attest, if not consistently with Truth, yet more appositely, that the Emperor Anastasius, when he was expiring at that Place, by a terrible Storm of Wind, Lightning and Thunder, cried out with a loud Voice; Magnâ perimus aurâ. Pulcheria the Sister of Theodosius the Less, being removed from the Administration of the Government, retired into the Hepdomum, and lived privately. Zonaras relates, that Nicephorus the Emperor, surnamed Phocas, as he came near to the City, was received by the Prasine Faction, with great Acclamations, and that he was crowned Emperor in the Hepdomum by the Patriarch of Constantinople. The Reason why those Suburbs are called the Hepdomum, is taken from the Number Seven, which was formerly the Number of them. They retained their antient Names, even after they were inclosed within the City. Procopius has it, that Justinian, in that Ward, which ought to be called the Second, built a Church to St. Anne. An unknown Writer of the Empire of Constantinople gives a Reason why it may be called the Second. In the Place, says he, called the Second, there stood the Statue of Justinian Rhinometus. Bardus Cæsar Michael, the Grandfather of Theophilus, demolished and broke it to Pieces. This Place is called the Second, because when Justinian was banished by Leo the Patrician to Cherso, after he had continued there ten Years, he applied himself to Terbelus, King of the Bulgarians, whose Daughter Theodora he married. The King gave him an Army, which he marched against Constantinople to recover his Empire. But the Inhabitants denying him Entrance, he privately stole into the City through the Passage of an Aqueduct to a Place where was still remaining the Foundation of a Pillar he had set up, and which his Adversary had destroyed. Having recovered his Dominions a second Time, he erected there a second Pillar, and built in the same Place a Church, which was dedicated to St. Anne. But, as I observed a little before, Procopius relates, that Justinian built this Church in the second Ward, where, I am of Opinion, before the Reign of Theodosius the Less, who built the Walls of the City, stood the Suburbs of the seventh Hill, that is, according to Cedrinus and others, in the twelfth Ward. There were, say these Writers, most dreadful Earthquakes, which overturned the Wall of the City in the Exacionion, and levell’d many beautiful Houses and magnificent Churches in the Porta Aurea of the City; and add that in the second Ward, the Shock was felt as far as St. Anne’s Church. I mentioned this Observation to many of mine Acquaintance, lest any one should imagine that the δεύτερον χώριον was one of the fourteen Wards mentioned in the Treatise, entitled, an Antient Description of Constantinople. I am surprized that Procopius, who was so exact in describing so many Buildings of the City, never mentions them, since they are taken Notice of by Justinian in his Constitutions. There’s a Church situate on the seventh Hill, between the Palace of Constantine, and the Adrianopolitan Gate, which though for many Ages it stood within the Walls, yet on three Sides of it, it formerly stood without the Walls of the City, as it was customary to build the Greek Churches. There’s a Portico runs round it. The Walls of it within are incrusted with square Pieces of several Kinds of Marble, the Fissures of which are covered from Top to Bottom with Modules of Astragals, some of which are adorned with Berries, and others are work’d round without them. Above these Incrustations rise three Fasciæ, and three Ornaments resembling an Astragal, two of which are round, and the uppermost of them is of a square Figure. Higher yet are three Fasciæ, above these are the Dentils, and over the Dentils, a Corinthian Foliage. It will evidently appear from what I shall mention hereafter, that the Suburbs called the Hepdomum, were in the fourteenth Ward of the City, where also stood a Palace. There remains at present, out of many antient Palaces, not so much as the Name of one of them, except that seated on the seventh Hill, which is called the Palace of Constantine, besides a few Pillars, and a Cistern in which the Grand Signor’s Elephants are stabled. In the Plain upon the Shore, situate at the Foot of the sixth Hill Eastward, is the Palatine Gate called Cynegion. Without the Gate is a fine Growth of Plane-Trees. Near the Gate, within the Wall, were formerly three large Arches, now fill’d up, through which the Inhabitants used to sail their Three-oar’d Galleys, into a Creek built within the City for the Conveniency of the neighbouring Palace. This Creek is now entirely ruin’d, and turn’d into a Garden. The Cynegion, according to modern Writers, is a Place of some Note, so that even Suidas himself thought it not impertinent to insert in his Lexicon the following Story. Criminals, says he, condemned to dye were thrown into the Cynegion, which was adorned with some Statues. Theodorus, the Town-Clerk, going thither with Imerius Keeper of the Records, saw a short, but a very thick Statue. Look upon the Man, says Imerius, meaning himself, who built the Cynegion. I returned in Answer, that Maximinus built it, and that Aristides measured out the Ground; when immediately one of its Pillars fell, which crushed Imerius to Pieces, so that he died on the Spot. Being terrified at the Sight, I hastened to the Church, where I told what had happened. I attested the Fact with an Oath to those who questioned the Relation. Some of the Emperor’s Domesticks and Servants, when their Attendance was over, walked with me to the Place. Being surprized at the Death of Imerius, and the Fall of the Pillar, a certain Philosopher named Johannes, told ’em, that he had discovered from a small Animal, that a Man of some Note should dye. Philip of Macedon believing him, ordered the little Creature to be bury’d in the Place, where this Accident happened. Justinus the Third commanded Tiberius and Leontius, after they had reign’d three Years, to have their Chains taken off, ty’d Body to Body, dragged thro’ the Forum and the Theatre by Horses; and after he had trampled upon the Necks of them, he ordered them to be slain in the Cynegion, in the Sight of the People. I look upon this Theatre to be that which was called Theatrum Venatorium. For as there was such a Theatre at Rome, so there was at Constantinople. For Procopius reports, that the Theatres, Hippodroms, and the Cynegia, were greatly neglected, and fell to Ruine, thro’ the Avarice of Justinian.