The Antiquities of Constantinople

BOOK I

Chap. I.

Of the Founders of Byzantium, and the different Successes and Revolutions of that City

It is recorded by Stephanus and Pausanias, that Byzantium, now call’d Constantinople, was first founded by Byzas the Son of Neptune and Ceroessa, or by a Person named Byzes, Admiral of the Fleet of the Megarians, who transplanted a Colony thither. I am of Opinion, that this was the same Person with Byzas. For had it taken its Name from Byzes, this City had more properly been call’d Byzeum than Byzantium. Philostratus, in the Life of Marcus a Sophist of Byzantium, calls the Admiral of that Fleet by the Name of Byzas, when he informs us, that Marcus (whom he would have descended from the ancient Family of Byzas) made a Voyage to Megara, and was exceedingly in Favour with the People there, who had formerly sent over a Colony to Byzantium. This People, when they had consulted Apollo where they should found a City, received in Answer from the Oracle, That they should seek out a Situation opposite to the Land of the Blind. The People of Chalcedon were given to understand by this mystical Answer, that tho’ they had made a Landing there before, and had an Opportunity of viewing the commodious Situation of that and other Places adjacent, yet at last had pitch’d upon the most improper Place of all. As to what is mention’d by Justin, that Byzantium was first founded by Pausanias a Spartan, I take it to import no more than this; that they who affirm that Syca, at present call’d Galata, was first founded by the Genoese, as was Constantinople by Constantine, their Meaning was, that they either rebuilt or enlarged those Places, and not that they were the first Founders of them. For when I find it in Herodotus, that upon the Invasion of Thrace by Darius, the People of Byzantium and Chalcedon were not in the least Expectation of the Arrival of the Phœnician Fleet, that having quitted their Cities, they retired into the Inland Shores of the Black Sea, and there founded Mesembria, and that the Phœnicians burnt Byzantium, and Chalcedon; I am of Opinion, that the Lacedæmonians, under the Command of Pausanias, sent a Colony thither, and rebuilt Byzantium, which was before either a Colony of the Megarians, or the Seat of the Subjects of Byzas the Son of Neptune, its first Founder. Eustathius assures us, that it was anciently called Antonina from Antoninus Bassianus, the Son of Severus Cæsar, but that it passed under that Name no longer than his Father liv’d, and that many Years after it was call’d New Rome, and Constantinople, and Anthusa, or Florentia, by Constantine the Great; upon which Account it is call’d by Priscian New Constantinopolitan Rome. It was foretold by the Oracle, that its Inhabitants should be a successful and flourishing People, but a constant Course of Prosperity did not always attend them. ’Twas with great Difficulty that this City first began to make a Figure in the World, in the Struggles it underwent with the Thracians, Bithynians, and Gallogrecians, and in paying a yearly Tribute of eighty Talents to the Gauls who govern’d Asia. ’Twas with greater Contests that it rose to higher Degrees of Eminency, being frequently harass’d, not only with foreign, but domestick Enemies. Mighty Changes it underwent, being sometimes under the popular, sometimes under the aristocratical Form of Government, widely extending its Conquests in Europe and Asia, but especially in Bithynia. For Philarcus observes in the sixth Book of his History, that the Byzantians had the same Power over the Bithynians, as the Lacedæmonians had over their Helotæ. This Commonwealth had so great a Veneration for the Ptolemæi Kings of Ægypt, that to one of them nam’d Philadelphus, they pay’d divine Honours, and erected a Temple to him, in the Sight of their City; and so great a Regard had they for the Roman Name, that they assisted them against the King of Macedon, to whom, as degenerating from his Predecessors, they gave the nickname of Pseudo-Philippus. I need not mention the powerful Succours they sent against Antiochus, Perseus, Aristonicus, and the Assistance they gave Antonius, when engaged in a War against the Pyrates. This City alone stood the Brunt of Mithridates’s whole Army landed in their Territories, and at last, though with great Difficulty, bravely repell’d the Invader. It assisted at once Sylla, Lucullus and Pompey, when they lay’d Siege to any Town or Fortification, which might be a Security to their auxiliary Forces in their Passage, either by Sea or Land, or might prove a convenient Port, either for Exportation or Importation of Provision. Joining its Forces at last with Niger against Severus, it became subject to the Perinthians, and was despoil’d of all the Honours of its Government. All its stately Bagnio’s and Theatres, its strong and lofty Walls, (built of square Stone, much of the same Hardness with that of a Grindstone, not brought from Miletus, as Politianus fancies) with which it was fortify’d, were entirely ruin’d. I say, that this Stone was cut out of no Quarry, either of ancient Miletus, or Miletopolis; because Miletus lies at too great a Distance from it, and Miletopolis, which is seated near the River Rhyndacus, is no ways famous for Quarries. I saw, by the By, this last City, adjoining to the Lake of Apolloniatus, entirely demolish’d, retaining at present its Name only. The Walls of Byzantium, as Herodian relates, were cemented with so thin a Mortar, that you would by no means think them a conjointed Building, but one entire Stone. They who saw them in Ruins in Herodian’s Time, were equally surpriz’d at those who built, and those who defaced them. Dion, whom Zonaras quotes, reports, that the Walls of Byzantium were exceeding strong, the Copings of which were built with Stones three Foot thick, cramp’d together with Links of Brass; and that it was so firmly compacted inwardly, that the whole Building seem’d to be one solid Wall. It is adorn’d with numerous and large Towers, having Gates in them placed one above another. The Walls on the side of the Continent are very lofty; towards the Sea, not quite so high. It had two Ports within the Walls, secured with Booms, as was their Entrance by two high Forts. I had then no Opportunity of consulting Xenophon in the Original; however I was of Opinion from the Latin Translation, that a Passage in that Author, which is as follows, has a Relation to one of those Ports: When the Soldiers, says he, had passed over from Chrysopolis to Byzantium, and were deny’d Entrance into the City, they threaten’d to force the Gates, unless the Inhabitants open’d them of their own Accord; and immediately hastening to the Sea, they scaled the Walls, and leap’d into the Town, hard by the Sides of the Port, which the Greeks call χηλαὶ, that is by the Piles; because they jet out into the Sea, winding into the Figure of a Crab’s Claw. But afterwards meeting with that Author in Greek, I found no Mention there of the Port, but only τὴν χηλὴν τοῦ τείχους, that is, near the Copings of the Wall, or rather the Buttresses that support it. Had it been in the Original χηλὴ τοῦ λιμένος, it ought rather to have been translated the Leg, or the Arm. Dionysius a Byzantian mentions, that the first Winding of the Bosporus contains three Ports. The Byzantians in their time had five hundred Ships, some of which were two-oar’d Galleys; some had Rudders both at Stem and Stern, and had also their Pilates at each, and two Sets of Hands aboard, so that either in an Engagement, or upon a Retreat, there was no Necessity for them to tack about. The Byzantians, both in the Life-time and after the Death of Niger, when besieged for the Space of three Years, acted Wonders; for they not only took the Enemies Ships as they sail’d by them, but dragg’d their three-oar’d Galleys from their Moorings; for diving under Water they cut their Anchors, and by fastening small Ropes from the Stern round their Ancles, they hall’d off their Ships, which seem’d to swim merely by the natural Tyde of the Sea. Nor were the Byzantians the first who practis’d this Stratagem, but the Tyrians frequently, under a Pretence of gathering Shell-Fish, would play the same Trick; which Alexander had no sooner discover’d, than he gave Orders that the Anchors of his whole Fleet, instead of Cables, should be fasten’d to Iron Chains. In this Siege the Byzantians being reduced to great Straits, still refused to surrender, making the best Defence they could with Timber taken from their Houses. They also breeded Cables for their Ships out of their Womens Hair; nay sometimes they threw down Statues and Horses upon the Heads of their Enemies. At last their Provision being entirely spent, they took up with Hydes soften’d in Water; and these being gone, they were brought to the extreme Necessity of eating one another: At last, being wholly reduced by Famine, they were forced to a Surrender. The Romans gave no Quarter to the Soldiers, nor the principal Men of the City. The whole Town, with all its stately Walls in which it glory’d, was levelled with the Ground; and all its Theatres and Bagnio’s were demolish’d even to the small Compass of a single Street. Severus was highly pleased with so noble a Conquest. He took away the Freedom of the City, and having deprived it of the Dignity of a Commonwealth, he confiscated the Goods of the Inhabitants; and afterwards making it tributary, he gave it, with all the neighbouring Countrey, into the Hands of the Perinthians. Entering the City afterwards, and seeing the Inhabitants coming to meet him, with Olive-branches in their Hands begging Quarter, and excusing themselves for making so long a Defence, he forbore the Slaughter; yet left the Perinthians in the Possession of the Town, allowing them nevertheless a Theatre, gave Orders for building them a Portico for Hunting, and a Hippodrom, to which he adjoin’d some Bagnio’s, which he built near the Temple of Jupiter, who was called Zeuxippus. He also rebuilt the Strategium; and all the Works that were begun by Severus in his Life-time, were finish’d by his Son Antoninus.

Chap. II.

Of the Extent of Old Byzantium

THE present Inhabitants of Constantinople tell you, that Old Byzantium stood within the Compass of the first Hill in the Imperial Precinct, where the Grand Seignor’s Seraglio now stands: but I am of Opinion, from what follows it will appear, that it was of a larger Extent. Our modern Writers describe its Situation thus; that it began at the Wall of the Citadel, stretched itself to the Tower of Eugenius, and that it rose gradually up to the Strategium, the Bagnio of Achilles, and the Urbicion. From thence it pass’d on to the Chalcopratia, and the Miliarium Aureum, where there was another Urbicion of the Byzantians: Thence it lengthen’d to the Pillars of Zonarius, from whence, after a gentle Descent, it winded round by the Manganæ and the Bagnio’s of Arcadius, up to the Acropolis. I am inclinable to credit all these Writers, excepting only Eustathius, who tells us, that the Athenians made use of Byzantium, a small City, to keep their Treasure in. But Zosimus, a more ancient Historian, describes Byzantium after this Manner: It was seated, says he, on a Hill, which took up part of the Isthmus, and was bounded by a Bay called Cheras, and the Propontis. At the End of the Portico’s built by Severus the Emperor, it had a Gate set up, upon his Reconciliation with the Inhabitants, for giving Protection to Niger his Enemy. The Wall of Byzantium extended itself from the Eastern Part of the City to the Temple of Venus, and the Sea over-against Chrysopolis: from the North it descended to the Dock, and so onward to the Sea, which faces the Black Sea, and through which you sail into it. This, says he, was the ancient Extent of the City; but Dionysius, a more ancient Writer than Zosimus, as appears by his Account, which was written before its Destruction by Severus, tells us, that Byzantium contain’d in Compass at least forty Furlongs, which is a much greater Extent than the preceding Writers reported it. Herodian informs us, that Byzantium, in the Time of Severus, was the greatest City in all Thrace.

Chap. III.

Of the Rebuilding of Byzantium by Constantine the Great, and the Largeness of it in his Time

IT is recorded by Zonaras, that Constantine being inclinable to build a City, and to give it his own Name, at first pitch’d upon Sardicus a Field of Asia; afterwards, upon the Promontory Sigeum, and last of all upon Chalcedon and Byzantium, for that Purpose. Georgius Cedrinus is of Opinion, that he first pitch’d upon Thessalonica, and after he had lived there two Years, being wonderfully taken with the Delightfulness of the Place, he built the most magnificent Temples, Bagnio’s and Aqueducts; but being interrupted in his great Designs by the Plague which raged there, he was obliged to leave it, and passing away for Chalcedon, (formerly overthrown by the Persians, but then upon rebuilding) he was directed by the Eagles frequently carrying the small Stones of the Workmen from thence to Byzantium, where Constantinople ought to be built. Zonaras is of the same Opinion; and only differs as to the Story of the Stones, and says, that they were small Ropes which they used in Building. But this seems to be a Fable taken out of Dionysius a Byzantian Writer, who tells us, that Byzas had been the Founder of Byzantium, in a Place call’d Semystra, seated at the Mouth of the Rivers Cydarus and Barbysa, had not a Crow, by snatching a Piece of the Sacrifice out of the Flames, and carrying it to a Promontory of the Bosporus, directed Byzas to found Byzantium in that Place. But Constantine does not seem to me to have been so oversighted as were the ancient Chalcedonians, for which they stand recorded in the Histories of all Ages. Nay, ’tis distinguishable by any Man of a tolerable Judgment, that Byzantium was a much more commodious Situation for the Roman Empire than that of Chalcedon. The far more ancient Historians, among whom are Sozomen of Salamis and Zosimus, who wrote in the Reign of Theodosius the Less, judged more rationally on this Occasion. They tell us, without taking any Notice of Sardica, Thessalonica or Chalcedon, that Constantine debating with himself, where he might build a City, and call it by his own Name, equal in Glory and Magnificence to that of Rome, had found out a convenient Situation for that Purpose, between old Troy and the Hellespont; that he had lay’d the Foundations, and raised part of the Wall to a considerable Height, which is to be seen at this Day on the Promontory Sigeum, which Pliny calls Ajantium; because the Sepulchre of Ajax, which was in that Place, hung over the Chops of the Hellespont: They tell you farther, that anciently some Ships were station’d there, and that the Grecians, when at War with the Trojans, pitch’d their Tents in that Place: That Constantine afterwards came into an Opinion, that Byzantium was a properer Situation; that three hundred and sixty two Years after the Reign of Augustus, he rebuilt, enlarged and fortified it with great and strong Walls, and by an Edict engraven on a Stone Pillar, and publickly fix’d up in the Strategium, near his own Equestrian Statue, order’d it to be called Nova Roma Constantinopolitana. Upon a Computation made, that the Natives were not a sufficient Number to people the City, he built several fine Houses in and about the Forums, of which he made a Present to the Senators and other Men of Quality, which he brought with him from Rome and other Nations. He built also several Forums, some as an Ornament, others for the Service of the City. The Hippodrom he beautify’d with Temples, Fountains, Portico’s, and a Senate-House, and allow’d its Members equal Honours and Privileges with those of Rome. He also built himself a Palace, little inferior to the Royal one at Rome. In short, he was so ambitious to make it rival Rome itself in all its Grandeur and Magnificence, that at length, as Sozomen assures us, it far surpassed it, both in the Number of its Inhabitants, and its Affluence of all Kinds. Eunapius a Sardian, no mean Writer, nay though an Enemy to Constantine, describes the vast Extent of Constantinople, in these Words: Constantinople, says he, formerly called Byzantium, allow’d the ancient Athenians a Liberty of importing Corn in great Quantities; but at present not all the Ships of Burthen from Ægypt, Asia, Syria, Phœnicia, and many other Nations, can import a Quantity sufficient for the Support of those People, whom Constantine, by unpeopling other Cities, has transported thither. Zosimus also, though otherwise no very good Friend to Constantine on the score of his Religion, yet frankly owns, that he wonderfully enlarged it; and that the Isthmus was enclosed by a Wall from Sea to Sea, to the Distance of fifteen Furlongs beyond the Walls of old Byzantium. But to what Extent soever Constantine might enlarge its Bounds, yet the Emperors who succeeded him have extended them farther, and have enclosed the City with much wider Walls than those built by Constantine, and permitted them to build so closely one House to another, and that even in their Market Places, that they could not walk the Streets without Danger, they were so crowded with Men and Cattle. Upon this Account it was, that a great part of the Sea which runs round the City was in some Places dry’d up, where by fixing Posts in a circular Manner, and building Houses upon them, they made their City large enough for the Reception of an infinite Multitude of People. Thus does Zosimus express himself as to the vast Extent of this City, as it stood in the Time either of Arcadius or Theodosius. Agathius says, that in the Time of Justinian the Buildings were so close and crowded together, that it was very difficult to see the Sky by looking through the Tops of them. The large Compass of this City before Justinian’s Time, we may in some measure collect from an ancient Description of the City, by an unknown but seemingly a very faithful Writer. He assures us, that the Length of the City from the Porta Aurea to the Sea Shore in a direct Line, was fourteen thousand and seventy five Feet, and that it was six thousand one hundred and fifty Feet in Breadth. And yet we cannot collect plainly from Procopius, that in the Reign of Justinian the Blachernæ were enclosed within the Walls, although before his Time the City was enlarged by Theodosius the Less, who as Zonaras and others write, gave Orders to Cyrus the Governour of the City for that Purpose. This Man, with great Diligence and wonderful Dispatch, built a Wall over the Continent from Sea to Sea, in sixty Days. The Inhabitants astonish’d that so immense a Work should be finish’d in so small a Time, cry’d out in a publick manner in the Theatre, in the Presence of Theodosius the Emperor, Constantine built this City, but Cyrus rebuilt it. This drew on him the Envy of his Prince, and render’d him suspected; so that being shaved by the Command of Theodosius, against his Inclinations, he was constituted Bishop of Smyrna. The following Inscriptions made to Constantinus, and carv’d over the Gate of Xylocerum and Rhegium, take Notice of him in these Verses.

Over the Gate of Xylocerum (Xylocercum or Xylocricum) in Byzantium, thus:

These Walls by Theodosius’ Royal Will,

And Constantinus Prefect of the East,

In sixty Days, surprizing Speed! were built.

Over the Gate of Rhegium is this Inscription:

Great Constantinus, Prefect of the East,

In sixty Days this stately Building finish’d.

The Reason why Constantine order’d Byzantium to be call’d New Rome, or Queen of the Roman Empire, is mention’d by Sozomen and others; namely, that God appear’d by Night to Constantine, and advised him to build a City at Byzantium worthy his own Name. Some say, that as Julius Cæsar, upon a Plot form’d against him, judg’d it necessary to remove to Alexandria or Troy, stripping Italy at the same time of every thing that was valuable, and carrying off all the Riches of the Roman Empire, leaving the Administration in the Hands of his Friends; so it is said of Constantine, that perceiving himself to be obnoxious to the People of Rome, having drain’d the City of all its Wealth, went over at first to Troy, and afterwards to Byzantium. Zosimus, an implacable Enemy to the Christian Name, alledges an execrable Piece of Villany, as the Cause of his Removal. Constantine, says he, when he had murder’d Crispus, and had been guilty of other flagrant Crimes, desiring of the Priests an Expiation for them, their Answer was, That his Offences were so many and enormous, that they knew not which way to atone for them; telling him at the same time, that there was a certain Ægyptian who came from Spain to Rome; who, if he had an Opportunity of speaking to him, could procure him an Expiation, if he would establish in his Dominions this Belief of the Christians, namely, That Men of the most profligate Lives, immediately upon their Repentance, obtain’d Remission of Sins. Constantine readily closed with this Offer, and his Sins were pardon’d. At the Approach of the Festival, on which it was usual with him and his Army to go up to the Capitol, to perform the customary Rites of their Religion; Constantine fearful to be present at that Solemnity, as being warn’d to the contrary by a Dream, which was sent him from the Ægyptian, and not attending the holy Sacrifice, highly disgusted the Senate, and the whole Body of the People of Rome. But unable to bear the Curses and Scandal they threw upon him on that Account, he went in Search of some Place or other equally famous with Rome, where he might build him a Palace, and which he might make the Seat of the Roman Empire, and that at last he had discovered a Place between Troas and Old Ilium, fit for that Purpose; and that there he built him a Palace, laid the Foundations of a City, and raised part of a Wall for its Defence: But that afterwards disapproving the Situation, he left his Works unfinish’d, and settled at Byzantium; and being wonderfully taken with the Agreeableness of the Place, he judged it in all respects to be very commodious for an Imperial Seat. Thus far Zosimus, a great Favourite of Julian the Apostate, and an inveterate Enemy to Constantine on the account of his Religion; to whose Sentiments I have so perfect an Aversion, that I cannot give the least Credit to those Enormities he charges him with, and of which he had the greatest Abhorrence, as being a Prince of remarkable Clemency and Goodness, which I am capable of proving abundantly, but that it would prove too great a Digression in the present History. The Truth of it is, that Sozomen and Evagrius both have sufficiently refuted these malicious Reflections. In these Calumnies, I say, I entirely differ from Zosimus, yet in his Description of the Extent, and Compass of the City, I am wholly in his Opinion; who, though an Enemy to Constantine, yet is forced to acknowledge him to have built so large, so noble, so magnificent a City. I am the more induced to give Credit to his History in this Respect, because he lived many Ages nearer to the Time of Constantine than our modern Monks, who, in the Books they have written of Constantinople, give the following Account of it; namely, that Constantine built a Wall from the Tower of Eugenius (which was the Boundary of old Byzantium) to St. Anthony’s Church, and the Church of the Blessed Virgin, call’d Rabdon, quite up to the Exacionion; and that at a Mile’s Distance, it passed on to the old Gates of the Church of St. John the Baptist, stretching itself farther to the Cistern of Bonus, from whence it extended itself to the Armation, and so winded round to St. Anthony’s Church again. I should give my self the Trouble to examine this Account, but that I know the Authors are so fabulous, that they are no ways to be depended upon. But this I look upon to be an intolerable Blunder, that they place the Church of St. John Baptist within the Walls built by Constantine, whereas for many Years after his Death it continued without the City: Of which, and many other Errors, I shall take Notice in the following History.