The Church of St. Menna.] This Person was an Egyptian Soldier, who suffer’d Martyrdom under Dioclesian, in Phrygia: This Church was built by Constantine, who, as Eusebius reports in his Life, Book III. Chap. 4. built also other Churches in honour of the Martyrs.
A Stadium.] This was a square Area, design’d, as Suidas observes, for Martial Exercises. The Grecians generally made them two hundred Foot long, and sometimes more. This Area was surrounded with a Portico, and Pillars. The Grecians used them sometimes in Merriment, and Dancing, and sometimes in more manly Diversions, as Wrestling, fighting at Gauntlets, &c. The Portico, on the South Side of it, was double Wall’d, to secure it from the Violence of the Northern Storms. In the Stadium, stood an Ephebeum, with Seats all round it, where they held publick Disputations in Philosophy, and where Youth was train’d up in Literature, and Science. In ancient Times, when Books were scarce, they used to improve themselves by Dispute, and Argumentation. On each Side of the Ephebeum, there were Bagnio’s, in which the Combatants anointed themselves, before they enter’d the Lifts. The Stadium fac’d the Sea, as Procopius observes in his Book de Ædif Justin. In a Place, says he, near the Sea, at present call’d the Stadium, (a Place formerly appropriated to Games, and Martial Exercises) Justinian, and his Consort Theodora, built some large Hospitals.
The Stairs of Timasius.] These were three Steps, at the Foot of a Hill, leading down to the Sea, which were built by Timasius. ’Tis very probable, that they were made of Marble, and were something remarkable, because my Author takes Notice of them. There was Custom paid at these Stairs, for the Repairs of the City Aqueduct; as appears from the Cod. Theod. Aquæduc. We will, says he, that all the Customs, which are, or may be collected at the Stairs of this our City of Constantinople, be expended in the Repairs of the common Aque-duct. I am of Opinion, that this Custom was payable by such Ships as unladed their Freight there. Justinian in his 159ᵗʰ Novel takes notice of a Clause in the Codicil of the Will of Hierius, where he bequeaths to his Kinsman Hierius the Suburbs Coparium, with all the Stairs thereunto belonging. Cedrinus writes, That in the Reign of Copronymus the Emperor, the Sea was froze by the Severity of the Weather, and that upon a sudden Thaw, a large Cake of Ice bore against, and demolish’d the Stairs of the Imperial Palace at Constantinople. Timasius, who built these Stairs, was General of the Infantry to Theodosius the Great, and was train’d up in the Art of War from the Time of Valens the Emperor. At last being falsely, and injuriously accused by Eutropius, the Chamberlain of Arcadius, he was banish’d into Oasis. Zosimus, speaking of him in his fifth Book, says, that he was the Father of Syagrius, who was entitled Pater Patriæ.
The Fifth Ward.
THE fifth Ward, a great Part of it is full of Windings, and Turnings, and is lengthen’d by an adjoining Plain. There are many useful Buildings in this Ward, which contains the Bagnio’s of Honorius; the Cistern of Theodosius; the Prytaneum; the Bagnio’s of Eudocia; the Strategium, in which stands the Forum of Theodosius, and the Thebean Obelisk; the Store-houses for Oil; a Nympheum; the Granaries of Troas; the Granaries of Valens, and Constantius: It contains also the Prosphorian Port; the Stairs of Chalcedon; twenty three Streets; a hundred and eighty four great Houses; seven large Portico’s; eleven private Baths; seven publick, and two private Mills; nine Gradus, and two Flesh-Markets: It had one Curator, one Vernaculus, forty Collegiati, and five Vice-Magistri.
NOTES.
The Cistern of Theodosius.] This Cistern was a subterraneous Cavern, arched at top, which was supply’d, not with Spring, but with Rain Water only. Petrus Gyllius in his Antiquities of Constantinople, tells us, that when he resided at that City, he discover’d a subterraneous Cistern there; which he shewed to the Proprietors of the Land where it was, who, before, were intirely ignorant of it. It was, says he, 336 Foot in length, 182 Foot broad, and 224 in compass. The Roof of it was supported with Marble Pillars, placed at twelve Foot distance from each other. Every Pillar was near nine Foot high. They stand, lengthways, in twelve Ranges; broad-ways, in twenty eight. In Winter-time, when the Aque-duct pours itself with more Violence into it, it fills up to the Middle of the Capitals of the Columns. It has sometimes Fish in it, which the Master, who overlooks it, skiffing about in a small Boat, kills with a Spear.
A Prytaneum.] There was at Athens a Tower call’d the Prytaneum, where their Senators, and wise Men met upon publick Affairs, and where Persons, who deserv’d well of the Commonwealth, were maintain’d at the Publick Charge, as ’tis observ’d by Cicero, Lib. primo de Orat. In Conformity to Athens, there was also at Constantinople a spacious Building, near the Imperial Cistern, where a Person, eminent in Wisdom and Learning, instructed twelve young Men in such Arts and Sciences, as might qualify them to be serviceable to the Publick. Cedrinus in his History of Leo Isaurus, writes, that, near the Royal Cistern, there was a venerable Pyle of Building, over which there presided a Master, who had under him, according to ancient Custom, twelve Scholars, of sober Life, and a good Share of Learning. These, when they had run through the whole Compass of human Literature, apply’d themselves very diligently to the Study of Divinity, and were had in so high Estimation, that the Emperors themselves look’d upon it as an Injury to their Character, to transact any thing of Importance, without their Advice. This Institution was afterwards suppress’d by Leo. Zonaras is more express, and large upon this Occasion; there was, says he, a House in the Basilica, near the Forum Ærarium, large enough for a Palace, in which were reported many ancient Manuscripts of Human, and Divine Learning, and where a sufficient Maintenance was allow’d for a Person of distinguish’d Knowledge whom they call’d the Oecumenical Doctor. He had under him twelve Fellows, who lived at the publick Cost, and instructed such as desired to be their Pupils. The Emperors also, concludes he, consulted them in the most arduous Affairs of State. But Leo the Emperor, when he could not prevail with them to declare themselves the same profess’d Enemies to Images, in Church-worship, with himself, destroy’d them, and their Library, in the Night by Fire. As therefore it was customary in other Nations to maintain at the common Charge Persons who might prove useful to the Publick, so was it here; and therefore, I conceive, that as the Prytaneum at Constantinople took its Name from that of Athens, so was it originally instituted for Purposes, much of the same Nature.
The Bagnio’s of Eudocia.] These Bagnio’s were so call’d, because they were built by Eudocia the Wife of Theodosius the Less. Before she was converted to the Christian Faith, she was called Athenais. Zonaras, Nicephorus, and others have wrote much concerning her. She had some Houses in the tenth Ward; where I shall speak more of her.