The House of the most illustrious Arcadia.] This Lady, as Cedrinus relates, was the Daughter of Arcadius. She had another House in the tenth Ward. Arcadius had by the Empress Eudocia, three Daughters, Pulcheria, Marina, and Arcadia, who all lived in a State of Celibacy.
The Bagnio’s of Anastasia.] These Bagnio’s were so call’d from Anastasia, the Daughter of Valens, as others were from her Sister Carosia abovementioned. Marcellinus, in his Seventeenth Book observes, that these Bagnio’s took their Name from Anastasia. Paulas Diaconus tells us in his Thirteenth Book, that there’s a very large House in Constantinople called Carya, which signifies a Nut: For, says he, there stands in the Porch of this House a Nut-tree, on which, as the Report goes, St. Achatius suffered Martyrdom. Upon this Account, there is also an Oratory built in the same Place. Procopius also mentions a Man, who went to the Bagnio’s of Anastasia, which took their Name, says he, from the Sister of Constantine.
The Tenth Ward.
THE tenth Ward, on the other Side of the City, is divided from the ninth by a broad Way, yet is it much more upon the Level; nor is it, in any Part of it uneven, but near the Sea Shore. ’Tis of a proportionable Length and Breadth, and contains in it; the Church of St. Achatius; the Bagnio’s of Constantine; the House of Augusta Placidia; the House of Augusta Eudocia; the House of the most illustrious Arcadia; a large Nympheum; twenty Streets; six hundred and thirty six great Houses; six large Portico’s; twenty two private Baths; two publick, and sixteen private Mills; and twelve Gradus. It has one Curator, one Vernaculus, ninety Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.
NOTES.
The Church of St. Achatius.] This good Man suffered Death at Constantinople, as I just observed, upon a Nut-tree, which Nicephorus says, remained in the Middle of the Church, sacred to his Memory in the Reign of Arcadius, though he was martyr’d in the Time of Dioclesian an hundred Years before. For, speaking of Procopius the Tyrant, The Church, says he, which was demolished with Age, was rebuilt, and beautified by Justinian. And Procopius the Historian tells us in Lib. de Ædif Just. That Justinian rebuilt it from the Ground, and that it cast such a Lustre, that it struck the Spectators with Admiration, its Marble being very glossy, and white as Snow. He adds farther, that this Church was called the Martyrdom of St. Achatius, because he was buried there, which happened on the sixth of May.
The Bagnio’s of Constantine.] Gyllius says they were the Bagnio’s of Constantius, and which, indeed, are often mentioned by Sozomen, Socrates, and Suidas; but ’tis more probable that these Bagnio’s were built by Constantine, who was indefatigable in beautifying the City with many Decorations.
The House of Placidia Augusta.] This Lady was the Daughter of Theodosius the Less, who afterwards resided in Italy, with her Brother Honorius.