The Antiquities of Constantinople

Chap. IV.

Of the Senate-House; the Nympheum; the Statues of the Forum of Constantine; of the Philadelphium; the Musæum; the Labarum and Syparum; of the Death of Arius; of the Temples of Tellus, Ceres, Persephone; of Juno and Pluto

THE Porphyry Pillar, and the Senate-House, is placed by the Author of the Ancient Description of the Wards, in the sixth Ward, and the Nympheum in the fifth; but he does not tell us, how near they stood to one another. That they stood at a very little Distance, is evident both from Zonaras and Cedrinus, who write, that the Fire which happen’d in the Reign of Leo, burnt down the Senate-House on the North Side of the Forum of Constantine, which was adorn’d with Statues of Brass and Porphyry Marble, in which was placed the Porta of Diana of the Ephesians, a Present of Trajan, taken from the Scythians, containing a Description of the Wars of the Giants, a Jupiter arm’d with Thunder, Neptune with his Trident, Apollo with his Darts and Quiver. In the lower Part of the Porta were figured the Giants attacking the Dragons, tossing large Clods of Earth, and looking in a fierce and a stern Manner. Hither it was that the principal Men of the City usually convened freely to debate of the important Affairs of the Government, whither also the Emperor himself came in Procession, when he receiv’d the Consular Robes. It was a very noble and magnificent Building. The same Authors mention another spacious Edifice situate against it, which was consumed by the same Fire, and was call’d the Nympheum, because the Marriage Rites were perform’d in this Place, as being capacious enough to hold the numerous Assemblies which attended those Solemnities. They add farther, that on the West Side of the same Forum was placed a Statue of Minerva of Lyndus. She had a Helmet on her Head, and a Shield in her Hand, on which was figured Medusa with Snakes and Adders entwin’d round her Neck; for in this Manner the ancient Statuaries usually carv’d Minerva. On the East Side of it was placed the Statue of an Amphitrite, one of the Syrens, having her Temples encircled with Crabs Claws. The unknown Author of the History of Constantinople says, that on the same Side of the Forum were placed the Statues of several Syrens, which were call’d by some Sea-Horses; three of which, he tells you, were remaining in his Time, at a Place in the Suburbs call’d St. Mamas. On the North Side of the Forum was erected upon a lofty Pillar a Figure of that Cross which Constantine saw in the Heavens. This is confirm’d by the Authority of most Historians, but principally by Eusebius, who although he is not express as to his setting it up in the Forum of Constantine, yet as his Authority is not to be disputed, when he asserts, that he set it up in Old Rome in the Heart of the City, ’tis reasonable to believe that he did so at Constantinople, since the same Writer assures us, that he set up a true Representation of the same Cross in all his finest buildings, and in the most remarkable Places of Constantinople. In Memory of which, as Sozomen writes, Constantine chang’d the most famous and most honourable War-like Standard among the Romans, which was always bore before their Princes, and to which the Soldiers were obliged by Law to pay divine Adoration, into the Ensign of the Cross, to bring them off from their heathenish Rites, and idolatrous Worship. Prudentius, upon this Occasion, has the following Lines:

Christ’s radiant Form upon the Standard rose,Emboss’d with sparkling Gems, and burnish’d Gold,Which o’er the Purple Ground-work cast a Light.No dreadful Shields hung on the blazon’d Flag;Christ’s awful Name alone was there inscrib’d.While on its Top, sure Sign of Victory,The Cross triumphant blaz’d in costly Stones.

Eusebius writes, that he saw the same Expression of the Christian Standard in his Time. There was, says he, a tall Spear which was transvers’d near the Top with a short piece of Wood, in the Figure of a Cross at the Top of which was a Crown made of precious Stones, and curiously wrought with Gold, in the Middle of which were embroider’d the two initial Letters of Jesus Christ, with the Greek Letter X, in the Form of a Cross. The Ensign or Standard was fix’d to the transverse Part of the Spear. From this Description of Eusebius, the Difference between what was then called the Labarum and Syparum seems to be this; that the Labarum signifies only a longer Piece of Wood transversed near the Top with a short Piece, and that the Syparum is the Veil, or Flag, which falls down from the transverse Part. The Religion of the old Romans was purely military, they worshipp’d their Standards, and swore by them; which Custom was abolish’d, upon the introducing the Christian Standard.

I hope the Reader will pardon me, if I here go a little out of my way, to vindicate the Story of Constantine’s seeing the Cross in the Heavens, from the Charge of Fiction and Imposture. There is scarce any Miracle, in my Opinion, which seems to be better attested than this, or which is capable of being confirm’d by more Eye-witnesses; for Eusebius, who lived in those Times, writes, that it was not only seen by Constantine himself, but also by his whole Army, and that too in the Middle of the Day; and adds, that the Truth of the Fact was not only believed by the Christians, but by those who were Enemies to the Cross of Christ. So prevalent was the Report of this Miracle, that the Inhabitants testify in the triumphal Arch, which they dedicated to Constantine, that he conquer’d Maxentius by the immediate Direction and Assistance of the Divinity, although but a little before many of them were of Maxentius’s Party, and Enemies to the Christian Name: So that they did not, in that triumphal Arch, made in Honour of Constantine, change the Form of the Cross into that of our Saviour’s, but order’d it to be figur’d with such Sculptures and Expressions, as were carv’d on the Arches of Trajan, Severus, and other Roman Emperors, as appears by some such Monuments of Antiquity as are at present to be seen at Rome. I cannot conclude with so much Certainty, that Nazarius was a Christian, because his Daughter Euphemia was such, as I can, from his panegyrical Address to Constantine. ’Tis the general Discourse among the Gauls, says he, that there was an Angelick Host seen in the Air, and that they were sent by God; and although Things of a celestial Nature are imperceptible by human Sight, because a simple and incompounded Substance is not properly the Object of our Senses; yet, as he proceeds, these your auxiliary Forces of Heaven, who are cloath’d with visible Appearances, attended upon you, as Witnesses of your great Merits, and then withdrew into their etherial Mansions. But of what Species of the Creation were these exalted Spirits? Of what Firmness and Vigour of Body; of what Largeness of Limbs? Their glittering Shields blaz’d in an awful Manner, and the Splendour of their celestial Armour was terrible: They march’d in such formidable Array, that they seem’d to wait on you as your Guards. This was the Language which was heard among them: We are flying to the Assistance of Constantine. Beings of a heavenly Nature may be allow’d to triumph, and there’s an Ambition which becomes them. This noble Army of Spirits who descended from above, were sent down by Omnipotence itself, and gloried that they fought for you. But I shall add nothing farther of our Author, and shall only observe, that some Historians take Notice, that this large Cross was plac’d upon a gilded Column in the Philadelphium, which was the Poets College, and, as the following Inscription shews, was built near the Porphyry Pillar.

Upon the Porphyry Pillar in the PhiladelphiumMuselius’ publick Acts aloud proclaim,A firm Attachment to the Emperor’s Service.This fam’d Museum, sacred Seat of LearningHe rais’d, and plac’d his Prince’s Picture here.And another thusThis Building is an Honour to the Learn’d,One of the City’s brightest Ornaments,A Spur to laudable and virtuous Actions,A great Encouragement to virtuous Men.And againThe good Muselius, steddily believingThe heavenly λόγος to be truly God,This Structure made an Off’ring to his Service.

Julian, the Prefect of the City, set up a gilded Statue of Anastasius before the College of the Poets, on which was inscribed a Couple of elegant Verses; yet no Mention is made in them, in what Part of the City this College was built. When a Report was made to Manuel the Emperor, that from antient Times, on the West Side of the Forum of Constantine, there had stood in the Nich of the Wall two female Statues made of Brass, one a Roman, the other an Hungarian Woman; and that the Statue of the Roman Woman projected, by Reason of its Craziness, beyond its Base, and the Statue of the Hungarian Woman stood fixed in its Station; he sent some Workmen to erect the Roman, and demolish the Hungarian Statue, thinking by this Means, that the Affairs of New-Rome would take a new Turn of Prosperity and Success. In the same Forum, among other elegant Statues of famous Men, was the Statue of Longinus, who had been Prefect of the City, on which was cut the following Inscription, made by Arabius.

Iberia, Persis, and the distant Nile,The Solymæans, Indians, and Armenians,With all th’ extended Regions of the West,The Colchi, bordering near to Caucasus,Which hides its tow’ring Head amongst the Clouds,And all the flow’ry Plains of fair Arabia,Longinus’ Expedition can attest;With what Dispatch he flew to treat of Peace,And with what Speed successfully return’d.

I shall take no Notice of the Statue of Themistius the Philosopher, plac’d near the Forum of Constantine, whom Valentinian had dignified with the Title of Prefect of the City, and to whom the Emperor Valens had done more Honour by his Writings, than any Statue or high Station whatsoever. Socrates gives us the following Account of the Death of Arius, the Ring-leader of the Sect of the Arians. Arius, says he, when he had made his Appearance before Constantine the Great, at his coming out of the Palace, attended by the Life-Guards, of which Eusebius was Commander, and passing thro’ the City, gaz’d at by Crowds of People; when he came near the Porphyry Pillar in the Forum of Constantine, and being informed upon Enquiry, where there was a Privy, he repairs thither under a strange Terror and Despondency of Mind, where being oppressed with an uncommon falling of the Bowels, his strait Gut fell from him, which was followed by a large Effusion of Blood, which brought away his small Guts, his Liver, and his Spleen, so that he died instantly. The same Author adds, that this Privy was standing in his Time. There is nothing however remaining at present in the Forum of Constantine, but the Porphyry Pillar, for the Ground of it is wholly rebuilt upon. Near the Pillar there stands a Caravansera, or a Place built for the Entertainment of Strangers; and near that, a Turkish Mosque, built by Hali Bassa, the Vestibule or Porch of which is large, made of Marble, and adorned with six shining Pillars, four of white, and two of Thebaick Marble; the Shafts of which measure at the bottom of them seven Foot and four Digits in Circumference. These, tho’ they are very tall Columns, have each of them, according to the Turkish Manner, two Bases; the lowermost of which was Marble, and the other Brass. This Way of Building they learned from the Greeks, who generally raised their Pedestals with a very high Cornice. Not far from this Mosque there stands a School, or College, inhabited by the Professors of the Mahometan Divinity. There’s a quadrangular Portico runs round it, which is supported with eighteen Pillars, Part of which consist of green, and Part of white Marble. A little below that of Ali-Bassa stands another Mosque. ’Tis seated on the highest Eminence of the second Valley, and has a Marble Vestibule, adorned with six Columns; two of which are made of Porphyry Marble variegated, two of white Marble with Sky coloured Streaks, and two of a dark green Marble stained with White. From some Things, which, as I remarked before, stood on the second Hill, you discover the Situation of Part of the third Ward, (in which was built the Tribunal of the Forum of Constantine) and almost all the fifth and sixth Ward. I would observe also in this Place, that Dionysius places the Temples of Tellus, Ceres, Proserpina, Juno and Pluto, partly on the Eminencies of the second Hill, and partly on the Plain on the Sea-Shore below it. He places the Temple of Tellus in particular beyond the Bay, without the Walls of Old Byzantium. He tells us, That this Temple is open at Top, to shew the Freedom of the Earth in her Productions, and that the Walls of it are built of a fine polished Stone. He adds farther, That above the Temple of Tellus, stood the Temples of Ceres and Proserpina, which were beautified with a large Collection of fine Paintings, the curious Reliques of preceding Times, and with Statues no Ways inferior to them, finished in the most elaborate Manner. The Temples of Juno and Pluto, he tells us, were situate where the Sea winds off from the Continent; and that nothing was remaining of them in his Time, but the Names of them only. He continues, That Cyrus in his Expedition against the Scythians, in Return of the Preparations made against him by the Byzantians, burnt down the Temple of Juno; and that Philip of Macedon, when he was carrying on the Siege of Byzantium, and wanted some Materials for that Purpose, demolished the Temple of Pluto; and that the Names of each of these Temples still continued: For the Temple of Pluto was called Acra Plutonis, as was the Temple of Juno called Acra Heræa; and lastly, that in these Temples, the Youth constantly at the Beginning and End of the Year, offered their Sacrifices. It will appear more probable, that these Acræ were seated on some Eminencies of the second Hill, rather than in the Plain below it, because there is not the least Appearance of either of them in that Place: So that when Dionysius records it, that these Acræ of Pluto and Juno, were situate very near the Sea-Shore, he must intend only that they were only the Points of some Dock, or Haven. If this be not his Meaning, the Acræ here mentioned ought to be interpreted the Sea-Shores; but I have enlarged more fully on this Matter in my Treatise of the Bosporus.

Chap. V.

Of the Seventh Ward

THE Antient Description of the Wards tells us, that the Situation of the seventh Ward, in Comparison with the sixth, is more upon the Level, altho’ at the Extremity of one of its Sides, it falls with a greater Declivity into the Sea; and from hence I concluded, that there could be little Difficulty in discovering where this Ward stood. But this Description of it is not peculiar to it, but common also to other Wards. For as to what the Author adds, that this Ward stretches it self with very long Portico’s from the Right Hand of the Pillar of Constantine, to the Forum of Theodosius; as it does also on the other Side of it down to the Sea-Shore, extended in the same Manner: I could make no more Observations from this Account of it, than I could from the Buildings which are mentioned to be contained in it, since the very Remembrance of them is entirely lost. I therefore considered with my self, what the Author might probably be understood to mean by the Right Hand of the Pillar of Constantine. In this Difficulty I had Recourse to Livy, who says, that Romulus has determined all the Wards, which reach from East to West, to be the Right Hand Wards, and all the Wards which extended from South to North to be Left Hand Wards. But I could not explain the Difficulty this Way; for by this Means I had made this Ward to stretch it self Southward; whereas I shall shew plainly in another Place, that it extended it self to the North. Nor could the Geographical Method give me any Light into this Matter; for when these Gentlemen take the Altitude of the Pole, they look full North, so that the East lies directly on their Right Hand. Varro, who has defined to an Exactness the four Parts of the Heavens, following the Astrological Scheme, has given me some Insight into this Matter: He tells us, that the South lies directly before us, and the North behind us, so that the East lies to the left Hand, and the West to the Right. I judged by this Division of the Heavens into four Parts, that the seventh Ward was situate Westward of the Pillar of Constantine; and yet was in Suspence, whether the Author of the Description followed the Division of Romulus, or that of the Astrologers. I was therefore under greater Hesitation than I was before, till after a diligent Enquiry I made a Discovery where the Column of Theodosius stood, and of some Footsteps of the Churches of Anastasia and Hirena, by which I perceived that the seventh Ward descended from the Top of the Promontory down to the Bay, and that this Author had described its Situation more distinctly, had he told us, that as you go from East to West, the seventh Ward extends it self on the right Hand, from the Pillar of Constantine, to the Forum of Theodosius. In this Ward antiently were erected several fine Buildings, which stood on the same Ground where the most famous Place of Merchandize in the City, by the Turks called Bezestan, or their Exchange, stands at present, and where the most valuable Goods of all Kinds are kept, as they were in the Reigns of the Christian Emperors, in the Building called the Lampterum, which I believe formerly stood in another Place. I am prevailed upon to be of this Opinion, when I consider the Ruines occasioned by the Fire, which happened in the Reign of Justinian; and which, as Cedrinus relates, destroyed, among other Edifices, the Church of St. Sophia, the Place where they kept the Records of it, the Octogon, the Baths of Zeuxippus, and the famous Structure of the Lampterum, so called, by reason of the Lights burning there every Night. This Building was roofed with Wood, where the most costly Commodities, such as Silks, Velvets, and the richest Brocades were reposited. In short, this Fire consumed every Thing, which the former Fire had spar’d. I might not improperly have called it λαμπτῆρες, which in Latin signifies Lucernæ, as ’tis confirmed by the Authorities of Livy and Pliny.

Chap. VI.

Of the Street called Taurus, the Forum of Theodosius, the Pillar of Theodosius with Winding Stairs, of the Tetrapylum, the Pyramidical Engine of the Winds, the Statues of Arcadius and Honorius, of the Churches of Hirena and Anastasia, and the Rocks called Scyronides

WHEN I was quite out of Heart as to Discovery of the seventh Ward, and the Taurus, without which no Discovery could be made of the eighth Ward, I made the best Enquiry I could after some other Buildings, which might lead me into the Knowledge of them. And after I had searched for the Situation of the Pillar of Theodosius for a considerable Time, I was informed by some antient Persons, that it stood on the Top of the Promontory, where the Plain of the third Hill extends it self, which is near the New Bagnio built by Bajazet the Emperor, who had demolished that Pillar above forty Years before I came to Byzantium, that he might build his Bagnio with more Convenience. Beyond that Bath, Northward, there is a broad Way, where there are three Booksellers Shops, and an antient Cistern; more towards the South is the Seraglio. This broad Way widens Eastward into a large Area, at the farther End of which is the Sepulchre of Bajazet the Emperor, with a Mosque, and a Caravansera. Cedrinus relates, that this Pillar of Theodosius is, in all Parts, like that which was erected by Arcadius, and is still standing in the Xerolophum, which I shall have Occasion to describe hereafter. Zonaras writes, that the Pillar in the Taurus, erected at the Expence of Theodosius, whereon were expressed the Trophies he took, and his well-fought Battles with the Scythians, and barbarous Nations, with his own Statue at the Top of it, was thrown down by an Earthquake, the same Year that Old Rome was taken. Anastasius the Emperor ordered many curious Pieces of Brass Workmanship to be demolished, and new cast into his own Statue. Among these was a famous Statue of Constantine the Great, which, with other Statues, made a large Equestrian Statue, which was gilded, dignified with his own Name and Title, and placed on the same Pillar, where before had stood the Statue of Theodosius. I would observe here by the By, that the Street called the Taurus was the same Place, where the Pillar of Theodosius stood; and from hence I would observe farther, that the seventh Ward stood on the Top and Sides of the third Hill. And although the seventh Ward does not contain the Forum of Theodosius, yet it is not improbable that it was but at a small Distance from it, not only if we consider how exactly Constantinople emulated Old Rome; but also, if any Dependence may be had on the Authority of Evagrius, who asserts, that the Fire which happened in the Reign of Leo, burnt down all the Edifices from the Forum of Constantine, to the Forum of Taurus. An antient Native of Constantinople informed me, that in his Time the Forum of Taurus, and the Pillar of Theodosius stood in the same Place, and that it was like the Hippodrom, full of wild and uncultivated Trees. And because it was only a Shelter for Thieves and Robbers, the Emperor Mahomet, who took the City, voluntarily bestowed the Ground on those who would build upon it. That the Forum Pistorium, or Bread-market, stood on Part of the Ground of the Forum of Theodosius, or at least was very near to it, I conjecture from Zonaras, who says, that as the Emperor Nicephorus Phocas was coming out of his Palace, situate at the Golden Fountain, and near the Porta Aurea, the People pursued him grievously with Railery and Invective from the Forum Pistorium, as far as the Pillar of Constantine. The unknown Author of the History of Constantinople is of the same Opinion, as to the Situation of the Taurus, and the Pillar, and tells us, That the Pillar stood in a paved Court, near the Forum Pistorium; and adds, that in the same Place there was a square Building, with four Gates, and four Portico’s round it, which he calls the Tetrapylum, which before was called Quatrivium. Cedrinus places the Tetrapylum not far from the Forum of Taurus, when he tells us, that the Fire in Leo’s Time, destroyed two large Churches, adorned with all Kinds of curious Stones; one not far from the Tetrapylum, the other adjoining to the Forum of Taurus. The same Author, speaking of another Fire, which happened in the same Emperor’s Reign, writes, that it consumed all the Buildings from the Tetrapylum, covered with Plates of Brass, to the Church. The Author of the Description of the Wards writes, that there was in Constantinople one gilded Tetrapylum, but does not mention in what Ward it stood. Johannes the Rhetorician (as he is cited by Evagrius) tells us, that in the Reign of Zeno the Emperor, one Mamianus, an eminent Senator, built at Constantinople some handsome Portico’s, and that between two of them he built a Tetrapylum, as a Boundary to both, which he splendidly adorned with Brass and Marble Pillars; and adds, that in his Time the Portico’s bore the Name of some Emperor, and that large Stones of Proconnesian Marble, the Reliques of their antient Beauty and Magnificence, lay on the Ground, but that there was not the least Sign of the Tetrapylum remaining. The unknown Author abovementioned says, that in this Tetrapylum, over the Pillars, there was a Chamber, where the Empress, and the Relations of the Emperor deceased, received the News of his Death; and having their Faces veiled, bewailed his Departure till six o’ Clock in the Evening, when meeting the Corpse passing by, they attended it to the Church of the Apostles, where they usually buried their Emperors. The Tetrapylum seems to me to have formerly been the Temple of Janus Quadrifrons, and stood near the Capitol. It had, like that of Old Rome, four Doors, denoting the four Seasons of the Year. For Janus takes his Name ab eundo, and therefore all Passages are said to be sacred to him, and the Doors of all Temples are called Januæ. Some Authors tell us, that in the Forum Pistorium there was a quadrilateral Pyramid. Cedrinus defines this Tetrasceles to be a quadrilateral Engine, invented to shew in what Point of the Compass the Wind stood, and adds, that Theodosius the Great erected a Machine in the Form of a Pyramid, adorned with several Figures of Animals, of Plants, of Fruits, of gilded Bunches of Pomegranates, and naked Cupids, in Basso Relievo. Some of these Cupids were cut in a gay smiling Humour, some of the Uppermost were wantoning, and playing their little Tricks with those who were below them, while others were dancing. There was carved upon it a Set of young Fellows playing upon brazen Pipes. On the Top of the Pyramid was a Vane, or Weathercock, which shewed in what Corner the Wind sat. The Statues of Arcadius and Honorius were placed near the Statue of Theodosius their Father; that of Arcadius in an Eastern, and that of Honorius in a Western Nich. Socrates, who has wrote the History of the Christians, tells us, that Valens the Emperor built out of the Ruines of Chalcedon, a large Aqueduct, which he brought into the City, and which supplied a very capacious Cistern, built by Clearchus, who was Prefect of Constantinople, and which, in his Time, was called the Cistern, or, as the original Word in Socrates seems more properly to signifie, the Lake of Theodosius. Zonaras and Cedrinus call this Lake a Nympheum, and add to the Authority of Socrates, that the Prefect of the City celebrated there a great Festival, and very splendidly entertained all the People. I would remark from these Citations, that the Place which Socrates calls the Forum of Theodosius, is called by Zonaras and Cedrinus, the Taurus, and that they are both the same Forum, and that the Nympheum here mentioned is different from the Nympheum which is situate near the Forum of Constantine, over against the Senate-House, and where they usually solemnized their Weddings, as has been observed before. The Author of the Antient Description, &c. writes, that the Carosian Bagnio’s were so called from Carosia, the Daughter of the Emperor Valens; but he does not tell us in what Part of the third Hill they stood, nor could I discover when I was at Constantinople, whether they are entirely in Ruines, and others built in the Room of them, (as there are very large ones at present on the Top and the Sides of the third Hill, which the Turks have built) or not. The same Author places the Churches of St. Hirena and Anastasia in the seventh Ward, but does not mention in what Part of it. Nor is it possible to find out their Situation, but from the Historical Accounts we have received of it, which say, that when the City was taken by the Franks and the Venetians, a Fire began at the Synagogue of the Saracens, in that Part of the City which declines towards the Sea Northward, very near to the Church of St. Hirena. That this Church stood within the Precinct of the Seraglio, I was first informed by some antient People of the City; I afterwards took Notice of a lofty Tower which stood without the Precinct of the Seraglio, which was situate on the East Side of the third Hill. It was a square Building, and is still called by the Vulgar Hirene; but whether it was the Church of St. Hirene, or the Empress Hirena, I cannot tell. I find among the Monuments of antient Learning, that there were three Churches at Constantinople dedicated to St. Hirena. The first was called the Old Church of St. Hirena, which, as Socrates writes, was built by Constantine the Great, and stood near the Church of St. Sophia. The second, I am now speaking of, stood on the third Hill; and the third, as Procopius says, was built by Justinian, at the Mouth of the Bay called Ceras, or Cornu, and was called the Church of St. Hirena the Martyr. Some Authors write, that the Church of Anastasia was built in that Place, where the new Bezestan, or new Basilica now stands: Others that it was situate near the Cistern, supported with Abundance of Marble Pillars, and stands between the Basilica’s of the Forum, and the Tomb, and Caravansera of Bajazet the Emperor. Sozomen writes, that when St. Gregory went from Nazianzum to Constantinople, he preached in a small Church built by his Auditors, which was afterwards very much enlarged by succeeding Emperors, and was also beautified and adorned in the most expensive Manner, and was called the Church of St. Anastasia. Whether it was so called, because St. Gregory by his Sermons preached in this Church had revived the Constitutions and Decrees of the Council of Nice; or whether, as he adds, it went by that Name, because a Woman big with Child, falling from the upper Gallery, and dying upon the Spot, was restored to Life again by the joint Prayers of the Congregation then present, I shall not determine. However ’tis plain from this Passage of Sozomen, that those Historians are grievously in the wrong, who say, that this Church was built in Memory of St. Anastasia, a Roman Saint. In my Treatise of the Thracian Bosporus, I have shewn, that on the North Side of the third Hill there rise some Rocks from the lowermost Eminencies of it, which were call’d Scironides, by those who first transplanted a Colony from Megara and Corinth, to Byzantium. These Rocks were so call’d, because of the Resemblance they bear to the Scironides, which grow between Corinth and Megara. I shall take the Freedom here just to mention what’s worth observing on the third Hill. On the Top of it stands the Tomb of Bajazet the Emperor, near a Caravansera, and a large Mosque which was built by him, after the Likeness of the Church of St. Sophia, which is roof’d with Brick-work, and cover’d with Lead. It has a large Porch or Vestibule, pav’d with white Marble, and is surrounded with four Portico’s, which are supported with Columns of the choicest Marble. In the Middle of it is a fine Fountain, which falls into a large Bason, which emits the falling Water through several little Cocks. The Mosque and Vestibule is surrounded on three Sides with a large Area, which is enclosed partly with Walls, and partly with a Caravansera; and on the fourth Side ’tis encompass’d with a Garden adjoining, in the Middle of which is the Tomb of Bajazet, in a small Edifice built in a cylindrick Form. On the Top of the third Hill stands the Seraglio, where the Emperor’s Concubines constantly reside; ’tis enclos’d with a high Wall, which, at my first Arrival at Constantinople, was more than two Miles in Compass. The present Emperor Solyman has taken up a Place in the Middle of this Precinct, where he is laying a Foundation for a Caravansera, and his future Sepulchre, which are now building with the most elegant Marble, brought from several Parts of the Turkish Dominions, so that you may see infinite Kinds of it lying about the Building, not lately dug out of the Quarry, but such as for many Ages has been used in the Palaces of several Princes and Emperors, not only at Byzantium, but in Greece, and all Ægypt. In the seventh Ward I saw three ancient Cisterns, not taken Notice of in the Description of the Wards; one in the Forum of Taurus, another between the Tomb of Bajazet and the Bezestan, both of which are supported with Marble Pillars. The third was built on a Clift of the third Hill, which faced the North, of which there are yet remaining six Corinthian Pillars, very large and tall, made of Arabian Marble, and curiously wrought. Below the Base of the Pedestal was lay’d an Earthen Pipe which convey’d Water into a Cistern made of Brick, whose Roof also, which is Brick-work, is supported with twenty square Brick Pillars. A little above the Cistern there was formerly a Court belonging to a Christian Church, which the Turks demolish’d, to repair and beautify their own Houses. On that Side of the Hill which extends itself Westward, there stands a Mosque, whose Vestibule is supported with twelve Pillars, six of which are of Arabian Marble. Above this Mosque there stands another, which is also supported with Pillars, and was formerly a Church dedicated to St. Theodorus. This however is not the same Church which Procopius says Justinian built in a Place call’d Rhessium. There is another Christian Church, now a Mosque, standing between the Seraglio, and the Tomb which the Emperor Solyman built for his Son Mahomet, which is incrusted with several Kinds of Marble, curiously variegated.