The House of Augusta Eudocia.] She was the most learned Woman of her Age, and wrote the Life of Christ in Greek Hexameters, after the Manner of Homer. At last being suspected by her Husband of Adultery, and divorc’d, she went to Jerusalem, but upon the Death of Theodosius, as Zonaras and Nicephorus write, returned again to Constantinople.
The Eleventh Ward.
THE eleventh Ward, much wider in Compass than the former, is, in no part of it, bounded by the Sea. The whole of it, level and rising Ground, contains, the Church of the Apostles; the Palace of Flacilla; the House of Augusta Pulcheria; the Brazen Bull; the Cistern of Arcadius; the Cistern of Modestus; five hundred and three great Houses; four large Portico’s; fourteen private Baths; one publick, and three private Mills; and seven Gradus. It has one Curator; one Vernaculus; thirty seven Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.
NOTES.
The Church of the Apostles.] Cedrinus and Eusebius write, that this Church was rebuilt by Constantine. Eusebius, Lib. IV. Cap. 58. de Vita Const. says, that to perpetuate the Memory of the Apostles, he began to build a Church, in the City called after his own Name. When he had built the Church to a very great Height, he beautify’d it with Stones of all Kinds, and inlay’d it with Variety of the most delicate Marble, from the Pavement to the Top of the Church; and having closed the Roof with Arches of the best Workmanship, he gilded it over. The Top of the Church, on the Outside of it, was cover’d with Brass, to secure it from the Violence of the Weather, part of which was also gilded; so that the amazing Splendour of it, reflected the Rays of the Sun to a very great Distance. The inward part of the Church he cover’d with Net-work, which was artificially made of Brass and Gold. Thus beautifully was the Church adorn’d by the great Care and Application of the Emperor. Before it stood a spacious Court, with an open Gallery round it. The Church and the Gallery were wholly surrounded with Portico’s. The Palace, the Bagnio’s, the Walks, and many Houses built for the Accommodation of those who look’d after them, had all of them the Conveniency of some Portico. In this Church was laid the Body of Constantine, in a golden Chest, the twelve Apostles standing round his Tomb. This is attested by Socrates. This Church was afterwards rebeautified by Justinian. For Procopius, Lib. de Ædif. Just. speaks of it thus: There was, says he, an ancient Church at Constantinople, just sinking with Age. This Church, for the Reverence he bore to it, was repair’d by Justinian, where the Masons and Workmen found three wooden Chests or Coffins, which proved by their Inscriptions, that the Bodies of St. Luke, St. Andrew and Timothy, were interr’d there, and which were viewed by Justinian, and the Christians of those Times, with the greatest Admiration.
The Palace of Flacilla.] If we read it Falcilla, it is meant of another Daughter of Arcadius; if Placilla, she was the Wife of Theodosius the Great, whom Paulus Diaconus calls Flacilla.
The Brazen Bull.] This Bull, Cedrinus writes, was brought from Troy. There was, says he, a Stove in which St. Antipas the Martyr was burnt to Death. Some are of Opinion, that this Stove was the Brazen Bull here mention’d, which was invented by Perillus, who was forced to undergo the same Torment by Phalaris, a cruel Tyrant of Agrigentum. Zonaras relates, that Phocas the Tyrant was burnt in a Bull, i. e. in a brazen Stove made in the Shape of a Bull, brought from Pergamus, which Place gave its Name to a Place near Constantinople.
The Cistern of Modestus.] Modestus was first chief Governour of the East, and was afterwards, Præfectus Prætorio, or General of the Life-Guard to Valens. As he was an Arian, he persecuted the Catholicks. Afterwards he was recovered from a dangerous Illness by the Prayers of St. Basil, as ’tis recorded by Gregory Nazianzen in his Funeral Oration upon him. I take this to be the same Person who built the Cistern here mention’d.