Transcriber’s Notes
Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variations
in hyphenation, spelling and punctuation remain unchanged.
The table of contents was added by the transcriber.
Italics are represented thus _italic_ and superscripts thus y^{en}.
Footnotes are at the end of the Book.
[Illustration:
MAP TO ILLUSTRATE PROCOPIUS ON THE BUILDINGS OF JUSTINIAN Drawn by
George Armstrong FOR THE Palestine Pilgrims Text Society.
_Outline from D^r. Smith’s Atlas._]
Palestine Pilgrims’ Text Society.
OF THE
BUILDINGS OF JUSTINIAN.
BY
PROCOPIUS
(CIRC. 560 A.D.).
Translated by
AUBREY STEWART, M.A.,
LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE,
AND ANNOTATED BY
COL. SIR C. W. WILSON, R.E., K.C.M.G., F.R.S.,
AND
PROF. HAYTER LEWIS, F.S.A.
[Illustration]
LONDON:
1. ADAM STREET, ADELPHI.
1888.
CONTENTS.
PREFACE.
LIST OF PLATES.
INTRODUCTION.
BOOK I.
BOOK II.
BOOK III.
BOOK IV.
BOOK V.
BOOK VI.
APPENDIX I.
APPENDIX II.
INDEX.
PREFACE.
Procopius was born at Cæsarea in Palestine, early in the sixth or
at the end of the fifth century. He made his way, an adventurer,
to Constantinople, where he began as an advocate and Professor of
Rhetoric. He had the good fortune to be recommended to Belisarius,
who appointed him one of his secretaries. In that capacity Procopius
accompanied the general in his expedition to the East, A.D. 528, and
in that against the Vandals, A.D. 533. The successful prosecution of
the war enriched Belisarius to such an extent that he was enabled to
maintain a retinue of 7000 men, of whom Procopius seems to have been
one of the most trusted, since we find him appointed Commissary General
in the Italian war. On his return to Constantinople, he was decorated
with one of the innumerable titles of the Byzantine Court, and entered
into the Senate. In the year 562 he was made Prefect of Constantinople,
and is supposed to have died in 565—the same year as his former patron
Belisarius.
His works are (1) the Histories (ἱστορίαι) in eight books,
namely, two on the Persian War (408-553), two on the War with the
Vandals (395-545), and four on the Wars with the Goths, bringing the
History down to the year 553. (2) The six books on the Buildings of
Justinian, and (3) the _Anecdota_, or Secret History—a work which has
always been attributed to him.
The ‘Histories’ appeared first in Latin, 1470, the translator being
Leonardo Bruni d’Arezzo (Leonardo Aretino), who, believing his own MS.
to be the only one in existence, gave himself out for the author. They
were first published in Greek, at Augsburg, 1607: but the ‘Buildings’
had already appeared at Basle, 1531.
The ‘Secret History’ was first published, with a translation into
Latin, at Lyons in 1623. The ‘Histories’ and the ‘Anecdota’ have been
translated into French. An English translation of the ‘Secret History’
was published in 1674. No other part of Procopius has, until now, been
translated.
The following version of the ‘De Ædificiis’ has been specially made for
the Pilgrims’ Text Society, by Aubrey Stewart (late Fellow of Trinity,
Cambridge), who has added the valuable notes marked (S.). The notes
marked (L.), chiefly archæological, have been supplied by Professor
Hayter Lewis, and those marked (W.), chiefly topographical, by Colonel
Sir C. W. Wilson, the Director of the Society.
The illustrations of St. Sophia are taken from the magnificent work by
Salzenberg, published at Berlin.
Those from Texier and Pullan are taken by the kind permission of Mr.
Pullan from their work on ‘Byzantine Architecture.’
In the investigation of the antiquities of Palestine, the name of
Justinian, as associated with them, comes forward as often as that of
Constantine or Herod.
From Bethlehem to Damascus—from the sea-coast to far beyond the
Jordan—there are few places of note in which some remains, dating from
his era, do not exist, or in which, at the least, some records of his
works are not left in the history of his time. To him Mount Sinai owes
the Church of the Holy Virgin.
At Bethlehem he is said to have enlarged, if not rebuilt, the great
Basilica.
At Gerizim the mountain still bears on its summit the remains of the
church which he there constructed, and Tiberias is still surrounded, in
part, by the walls raised by him.
He is known to have constructed a large church to the Virgin on the
Mount of Olives, and several other churches in and about Jerusalem, the
grandest of which is described to have been an architectural gem, was
in the Harem area itself.
Besides these, which are definitely recorded to have been his work, he
is supposed by some of the best authorities to have erected the Golden
Gate and the Double Gate; and of late years it has been contended that
the Sakhrah itself was constructed by him as it now exists.
But there is scarcely one of these edifices, where remains of them
exist or are supposed so to do, which has not been the subject
of controversy, the authorship of the Sakhrah (taking that as an
instance) having been assigned, by various persons who would usually
be considered as authorities on the subject, to the Romans under
Constantine, to the Byzantines under Justinian, and to the Arabs under
Abd-el-Melek.
It becomes, therefore, important to have a clear record as to what
Justinian did, not only in Palestine but in other countries, so as to
be able to judge to some extent, by well-authenticated examples, of the
founders of those edifices whose history is involved in doubt.
Of the writers who can give us this record, none has such authority
as Procopius, or gives so much detailed information; and he has, for
that reason, been largely quoted by Gibbon and by well-nigh every other
writer on Byzantine history; and he gives such definite information as
to the dates of many of Justinian’s buildings which remain to us, as to
form a standard by which to recognise the general characteristics in
outline and detail adopted by his architects in his greatest works, and
which characterize the style now well known as Byzantine.
Its first and greatest example is St. Sofia at Constantinople, which
is, perhaps, the boldest instance of a sudden change in almost every
respect, whether of plan, elevation, or detail, which is known in
architecture.
Before its construction, the ground-plan of well-nigh every building
known to Western architects had defined the plan of all above it.
The columns in the apse of the Basilica, or church, carried galleries
or other erections above it, of varied design, but in the same straight
or curved lines as those beneath them.
The lines of the dome (except in slightly exceptional cases, such as
the ruin known as the Temple of Minerva Medica at Rome, or the Temple
of the Winds at Athens) were carried up on the distinct lines of the
lower walls.
The capitals of the columns in the works of the ancient Greeks or
Romans were in each building carved on the same design; and however
beautiful each might be, the eye would see but one form of the Doric,
Ionic, or Corinthian, through the whole range of a colonnade.
The Byzantines changed all that.
The great dome of St. Sophia (the boldest piece of novel construction
ever, perhaps, attempted) forms the crown of a building quite original
in plan; and this dome is placed, not as that of the Roman Pantheon,
low down on thick walls of its own form, but suspended high above all
the roof around it, on four arches, which spring from detached piers,
the keystone alone of each arch giving a direct support to the dome; in
every other part it overhangs the void in the boldest manner.
The circular work between these arches is carried in a manner which is
comparatively easy to imitate now; but the rude and often picturesque
results of attempts at imitation in mediæval times, more especially in
the South of France, show how difficult the work was found to be at the
outset.
Earthquake and faults of construction occasioned the rebuilding of
the great dome; but it still crowns, after a trial of more than 1,300
years, one of the most beautiful buildings in existence.
Then the capitals of the columns, whose general outlines bear few
traces of the ancient orders, were often carved each in a different
manner, and, though harmonizing with each other in general outline,
could bear separate scrutiny, and show each a special motive and design.
The carving of these capitals, and of the other beautiful scroll-work
and foliage which decorate the walls of St. Sophia, has come down to us
through the Normans, and is quite peculiar.
It had none of the soft, round forms which the Romans loved, but is cut
in a sharp, crisp, and somewhat stiff style, casting distinctly marked
and sharp shadows, and the eyes of the foliage and other well-marked
parts are emphasized by being deeply drilled in. Many of the Byzantine
characteristics had been, to a large extent, foreshadowed in Eastern
buildings, even at so early a time as the Assyrian bas-reliefs; but
it is to Byzantine architects, under the fostering care of Justinian,
that we owe the picturesque changes and details of that style, the
Byzantine, which takes its name from his capital and is, to a large
extent, identified with himself.
All the drawings have been made for this volume by Mr. George
Armstrong, formerly on the Survey Party under Captain Conder and
Captain Kitchener.
(L.)
LIST OF PLATES.
PAGE
MAP ILLUSTRATING PROCOPIUS _Frontispiece_
PLAN OF CONSTANTINOPLE 1
CHURCH OF ST. SOPHIA 5
DETAILS OF CAPITALS, ETC., OF ST. SOPHIA 7
SECTION OF ST. SOPHIA 9
SS. SERGIUS AND BACCHUS, CHURCH OF 19
FORTIFICATIONS AT DARA 42
CASTLE AND COLUMNS OF EDESSA 60
CISTERN OF IMBAHER OR BATHS OF ANTONINUS 132
BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIVER SANGARIS 133
ES SAKHRA (DOME OF THE ROCK) 139
EL AKSA 140
CHURCH ON MOUNT GERIZIM 144
CHURCH AT BETHLEHEM 148
CHURCH OF MAGNE KAHIREH 160
[Illustration: CONSTANTINOPLE.
_Outline from D^r. Smith’s Atlas, C.A._]
THE
SIX BOOKS OF PROCOPIUS OF CÆSAREA,
ON THE
_BUILDINGS OF THE LORD JUSTINIAN_.
INTRODUCTION.
I have not begun this work through any desire to make a display of
my own virtue, or trusting to my powers of language, or wishing
to gain credit by my knowledge of the places described, for I had
nothing to encourage me to undertake so bold a project. But I have
often reflected on the great blessings which countries derive from
history, which transmits to posterity the remembrance of our ancestors,
and opposes the efforts of time to cover them with oblivion; which
always encourages virtue in its readers by its praise, and deters
them from vice by its blame, and in this way destroys its power.
All we need study then is to make clear what has been done, and by
whom of mankind it was done; and this, I imagine, is not impossible
even for the weakest and feeblest writer; besides this, the writing
of history enables subjects who have been kindly treated by their
rulers, to express their gratitude, and to make a more than adequate
return, seeing that they only for a time enjoy the goodness of their
princes, while they render their virtues immortal in the memory of
their descendants, many of whom in this very way have been led by the
glory of their ancestors to a love of virtue, and have been probably
preserved from a dissolute course of life by the dread of disgrace. I
will shortly explain my object in making these prefatory remarks.
The Emperor Justinian was born in our time,[1] and succeeding to the
throne when the state was decayed, added greatly to its extent and
glory by driving out from it the barbarians, who for so long a time had
forced their way into it, as I have briefly narrated in my ‘History
of the Wars.’ They say that Themistocles, the son of Neocles, prided
himself on his power of making a small state great, but our Emperor
has the power of adding other states to his own, for he has annexed
to the Roman Empire many other states which at his accession were
independent, and has founded innumerable cities which had no previous
existence. As for religion, which he found uncertain and torn by
various heresies, he destroyed everything which could lead to error,
and securely established the true faith upon one solid foundation.
Moreover, finding the laws obscure through their unnecessary multitude,
and confused by their conflict with one another, he firmly established
them by reducing the number of those which were unnecessary, and in the
case of those that were contradictory, by confirming the better ones.
He forgave of his own accord those who plotted against him, and, by
loading with wealth those who were in want, and relieving them from the
misfortunes which had afflicted them, he rendered the empire stable and
its members happy. By increasing his armies he strengthened the Roman
Empire, which lay everywhere exposed to the attacks of barbarians,
and fortified its entire frontier by building strong places. Of his
other acts the greater part have been described by me in other works,
but his great achievements in building are set forth in this book. We
learn from tradition that Cyrus the Persian was a great king, and the
chief founder of the empire of his countrymen; but whether he had any
resemblance to that Cyrus who is described by Xenophon the Athenian
in his Cyropædia, I have no means of telling, for possibly the art of
the writer has given some embellishments to his achievements; while
as for our present Emperor Justinian (whom I think one may rightly
call a king by nature, since, as Homer says, he is as gentle as a
father), if one accurately considers his empire, one will regard that
of Cyrus as mere child’s play.[2] The proof of this will be that the
empire, as I just now said, has been more than doubled by him, both
in extent and in power; whilst his royal clemency is proved by the
fact that those who wickedly plotted against his life, although they
were clearly convicted, not only are alive and in possession of their
property at the present day, but even command Roman armies, and have
been promoted to the consular dignity. Now, as I said before, we must
turn our attention to the buildings of this monarch, lest posterity,
beholding the enormous size and number of them, should deny their being
the work of one man; for the works of many men of former times, not
being confirmed by history, have been disbelieved through their own
excessive greatness. As is natural, the foundation of all my account
will be the buildings in Byzantium, for, as the old proverb has it,
when we begin a work we ought to put a brilliant frontispiece to it.
BOOK I.
I. The lowest dregs of the people in Byzantium once assailed the
Emperor Justinian in the rebellion called Nika, which I have clearly
described in my ‘History of the Wars.’ To prove that it was not merely
against the Emperor, but no less against God that they took up arms,
they ventured to burn the church of the Christians. (This church the
people of Byzantium call Sophia, _i.e._, Σοφία—_Wisdom_; a name most
worthy of God.) God permitted them to effect this crime, knowing how
great the beauty of this church would be when restored. Thus the church
was entirely reduced to ashes; but the Emperor Justinian not long
afterwards adorned it in such a fashion, that if anyone had asked the
Christians in former times if they wished their church to be destroyed
and thus restored, showing them the appearance of the church which we
now see, I think it probable that they would have prayed that they
might as soon as possible behold their church destroyed, in order that
it might be turned into its present form. The Emperor, regardless
of expense of all kinds, pressed on its restoration, and collected
together all the workmen from every land, Anthemius of Tralles,[3]
by far the most celebrated architect, not only of his own but of all
former times, carried out the King’s zealous intentions, organized the
labours of the workmen, and prepared models of the future construction.
Associated with him was another architect named Isidorus, a Milesian
by birth, a man of intelligence, and worthy to carry out the plans of
the Emperor Justinian. It is, indeed, a proof of the esteem with which
God regarded the Emperor, that He furnished him with men who would be
so useful in effecting his designs, and we are compelled to admire the
intelligence of the Emperor, in being able to choose the most suitable
of mankind to carry out the noblest of his works.
[Illustration: CHURCH OF S^T SOPHIA.
DETAILS OF ORNAMENTAL WORK]
[Illustration: 3 Specimens of Details of
Capitals &c. of S^t. Sophia
_From Salzenburg_]
The church consequently presented a most glorious spectacle,
extraordinary to those who beheld it, and altogether incredible to
those who are told of it. In height it rises to the very heavens, and
overtops the neighbouring buildings like a ship anchored among them:
it rises above the rest of the city, which it adorns, while it forms
a part of it, and it is one of its beauties that being a part of the
city, and growing out of it, it stands so high above it, that from
it the whole city can be beheld as from a watch-tower. Its length
and breadth are so judiciously arranged that it appears to be both
long and wide without being disproportioned. It is distinguished by
indescribable beauty, for it excels both in its size and in the harmony
of its proportion, having no part excessive and none deficient; being
more magnificent than ordinary buildings, and much more elegant than
those which are out of proportion. It is singularly full of light and
sunshine; you would declare that the place is not lighted by the sun
from without, but that the rays are produced within itself, such an
abundance of light is poured into this church. Now the front of the
church (that is to say the part towards the rising sun, where the
sacred mysteries are performed in honour of God) is built as follows.
The building rises from the ground, not in a straight line, but set
back somewhat obliquely, and retreating in the middle into the form
of a half-circle, a form which those who are learned in these matters
call semi-cylindrical, rising perpendicularly. The upper part of
this work ends in the fourth part of a sphere, and above it another
crescent-shaped structure is raised upon the adjacent parts of the
building, admirable for its beauty, but causing terror by the apparent
weakness of its construction; for it appears not to rest upon a secure
foundation, but to hang dangerously over the heads of those within,
although it is really supported with especial firmness and safety. On
each side of these there are columns standing upon the floor, which
themselves also are not placed in a straight line, but arranged with
an inward curve of semicircular shape, one beyond another, like the
dancers in a chorus. These columns support above them a crescent-shaped
structure. Opposite this east wall is built another wall containing
the entrances, and upon either side of it also stand columns with
stonework above them in a half-circle exactly like those previously
described. In the midst of the church are four masses of stone called
piers, two on the north and two on the south side, opposite and equal
to one another, having four columns in the central space between
each. These piers are composed of large stones fitted together, the
stones being carefully selected and cleverly jointed into one another
by the masons, reaching to a great height. Looking at them you would
compare them to perpendicular cliffs. Upon these four arches rise in a
quadrilateral form. The extremities of these arches join one another in
pairs, and rest at their ends upon these piers, while the other part
of them rise to a great height, and are suspended in the air. Two of
these arches, that is, those towards the rising and the setting sun,
are constructed over the empty air, but the remainder have under them
some stonework, with small columns. Now above these arches is raised a
circular building of a spherical form through which the light of day
first shines; for the building, I imagine, overtops the whole country,
and has small openings left on purpose, so that the places where these
intervals in the construction occur may serve for conductors of light.
Thus far I imagine the building is not incapable of being described,
even by a weak and feeble tongue. As the arches are arranged in a
quadrangular figure, the stonework between them takes the shape of
a triangle; the lower angle of each triangle, being compressed
between the shoulders of the arches, is slender, while the upper part
becomes wider as it rises in the space between them, and ends against
the circle which rises from thence, forming there its remaining angles.
A spherical-shaped dome standing upon this circle makes it exceedingly
beautiful; from the lightness of the building it does not appear to
rest upon a solid foundation, but to cover the place beneath as though
it were suspended from heaven by the fabled golden chain. All these
parts surprisingly joined to one another in the air, suspended one from
another, and resting only on that which is next to them, form the work
into one admirably harmonious whole, which spectators do not care to
dwell upon for long in the mass, as each individual part attracts the
eye and turns it to itself. The sight causes men to constantly change
their point of view, and the spectator can nowhere point to any part
which he admires more than the rest, but having viewed the art which
appears everywhere, men contract their eyebrows as they look at each
point, and are unable to comprehend such workmanship, but always depart
thence stupified through their incapacity to comprehend it. So much for
this.
[Illustration: CHURCH OF S^T. SOPHIA.
HALF SECTION THROUGH GREAT DOME AND TRANSEPT
Vincent Brooks Day & Son]
[Illustration: CHURCH OF S^T. SOPHIA.
HALF PLAN ON LEVEL OF GROUND FLOOR.
HALF PLAN ON LEVEL OF GALLERIES]
The Emperor Justinian and the architects Anthemius and Isidorus used
many devices to construct so lofty a church with security. One alone
of these I will at this present time explain, by which a man may form
some opinion of the strength of the whole work; as for the others, I am
not able to discover them all, and find it impossible to explain them
in words. It is as follows:—The piers[4] of which I just now spoke
are not constructed in the same manner as the rest of the building, but
in this fashion: they consist of quadrangular courses of stones, rough
by nature, but made smooth by art; of these stones, those which make
the projecting angles of the pier are cut angularly, while those which
go in the middle parts of the sides are cut square. They are fastened
together not with what is called unslaked lime, not with bitumen, the
boast of Semiramis at Babylon, nor anything of the kind, but with lead,
which is poured between the interstices, and which, pervading the whole
structure, has sunk into the joints of the stones, and binds them
together; this is how they are built. Let us now proceed to describe
the remaining parts of the church. The entire ceiling is covered with
pure gold, which adds glory to its beauty, though the rays of light
reflected upon the gold from the marble surpass it in beauty; there
are two porticos on each side, which do not in any way dwarf the size
of the church, but add to its width. In length they reach quite to the
ends, but in height they fall short of it; these also have a domed
ceiling and are adorned with gold. Of these two porticos, the one is
set apart for male, and the other for female worshippers; there is no
variety in them, nor do they differ in any respect from one another,
but their very equality and similarity add to the beauty of the church.
Who could describe the galleries[5] of the portion set apart for
women, or the numerous porticos and cloistered courts with which the
church is surrounded? who could tell of the beauty of the columns and
marbles with which the church is adorned? one would think that one
had come upon a meadow full of flowers in bloom: who would not admire
the purple tints of some and the green of others, the glowing red and
glittering white, and those, too, which nature, like a painter, has
marked with the strongest contrasts of colour? Whoever enters there
to worship perceives at once that it is not by any human strength or
skill, but by the favour of God that this work has been perfected;
his mind rises sublime to commune with God, feeling that He cannot be
far off, but must especially love to dwell in the place which He has
chosen; and this takes place not only when a man sees it for the first
time, but it always makes the same impression upon him, as though he
had never beheld it before. No one ever became weary of this spectacle,
but those who are in the Church delight in what they see, and, when
they leave it, magnify it in their talk about it; moreover, it is
impossible accurately to describe the treasure of gold and silver plate
and gems, which the Emperor Justinian has presented to it; but by the
description of one of them, I leave the rest to be inferred. That part
of the church which is especially sacred, and where the priests alone
are allowed to enter, which is called the Sanctuary, contains forty
thousand pounds’ weight of silver!
The above is an account, written in the most abridged and cursory
manner, describing in the fewest possible words the most admirable
structure of the church at Constantinople which is called the Great
Church, built by the Emperor Justinian, who did not merely supply the
funds for it, but assisted it by the labour and powers of his mind, as
I will now explain. Of the two arches which I lately mentioned (the
architects call them ‘lori’[6]), that one which stands towards the east
had been built up on each side, but had not altogether been completed
in the middle, where it was still imperfect; now the piers upon which
the building rested, unable to support the weight which was put upon
them, somehow all at once split open, and seemed as though before long
they would fall to pieces. Upon this Anthemius and Isidorus, terrified
at what had taken place, referred the matter to the Emperor, losing all
confidence in their own skill. He at once, I know not by what impulse,
but probably inspired by heaven, for he is not an architect, ordered
them to carry round this arch; for it, said he, resting upon itself,
will no longer need the piers below. Now if this story were unsupported
by witnesses, I am well assured that it would seem to be written in
order to flatter, and to be quite incredible; but as there are many
witnesses now alive of what then took place, I shall not hesitate to
finish it. The workmen performed his bidding, the arch was safely
suspended, and proved by experiment the truth of his conception. So
much then for this part of the building; now with regard to the other
arches, those looking to the south and to the north, the following
incidents took place. When the arches called ‘lori’ were raised aloft
during the building of the church, everything below them laboured under
their weight, and the columns which are placed there shed little
scales, as though they had been planed. Alarmed at this, the architects
again referred the matter to the Emperor, who devised the following
plan. He ordered the upper part of the work that was giving way, where
it touched the arches, to be taken down for the present, and to be
replaced long afterwards when the damp had thoroughly left the fabric.
This was done, and the building has stood safely afterwards, so that
the structure as it were bears witness to the Emperor.
II. In front of the Senate House there is an open place which the
people of Constantinople call the Augustæum: in it there are not less
than seven courses of stone in a quadrangular form, arranged like
steps, each one so much less in extent than that which is below, that
each one of the stones projects sufficiently for the men who frequent
that place to sit upon them as upon steps. From the topmost course a
column rises to a great height—not a monolith, but composed of stones
of a considerable periphery, which are cut square, and are fitted into
one another by the skill of the masons. The finest brass, cast into
panels and garlands, surrounds these stones on every side, binding
them firmly together, while it covers them with ornament, and in all
parts, especially at the capital and the base, imitates the form of
the column. This brass is in colour paler than unalloyed gold; and its
value is not much short of its own weight in silver. On the summit of
the column there stands an enormous horse, with his face turned towards
the east—a noble sight. He appears to be walking, and proceeding
swiftly forwards; he raises his left fore-foot as though to tread upon
the earth before him, while the other rests upon the stone beneath
it, as though it would make the next step, while he places his hind
feet together, so that they may be ready when he bids them move. Upon
this horse sits a colossal brass figure of the Emperor, habited as
Achilles, for so his costume is called; he wears hunting-shoes, and
his ankles are not covered by his greaves. He wears a corslet like an
ancient hero, his head is covered by a helmet which seems to nod, and a
plume glitters upon it. A poet would say that it was that ‘star of the
dog-days’ mentioned in Homer.[7] He looks towards the east, directing
his course, I imagine, against the Persians; in his left hand he holds
a globe, by which the sculptor signifies that all lands and seas are
subject to him. He holds no sword or spear, or any other weapon, but a
cross stands upon the globe, through which he has obtained his empire
and victory in war; he stretches forward his right hand towards the
east, and spreading out his fingers seems to bid the barbarians in that
quarter to remain at home and come no further. This is the appearance
of the statue.
The Church of Irene,[8] which was next to the great church, and was
burnt down together with it, was rebuilt on a large scale by the
Emperor Justinian—a church scarcely second to any in Byzantium except
that of Sophia. There was between these two churches a hospice for the
relief of destitute persons and those in the last extremity of disease,
suffering in body as well as in fortune, which was built in former
times by a God-fearing man named Sampson. This also did not remain
unscathed by the insurgents, but perished in the fire, together with
the two neighbouring churches. The Emperor Justinian rebuilt it in a
more magnificent fashion, and with a much greater number of rooms,
and he has also endowed it with a great annual revenue, in order that
the sufferings of more unfortunate men may be relieved in it for the
future. Insatiate as he was in his love for God, he built two other
hospices opposite to this, in what are called the houses of Isidorus
and Arcadius, being assisted in these pious works by the Empress
Theodora. As for all the other churches which this Emperor raised in
honour of Christ, they are so many in number and so great in size that
it is impossible to describe them in detail, for no power of words nor
one’s whole life would suffice to collect and to recite the list of
their several names: let this much suffice.
III. We must begin with the churches of the Virgin Mary, for it is
understood that this is the wish of the Emperor himself, and the true
method of description distinctly points out that from God we ought
to proceed to the Mother of God. The Emperor Justinian built in all
parts of the Roman empire many churches dedicated to the Virgin, so
magnificent and large, and constructed with such a lavish expenditure
of money, that a person beholding any one of them singly would imagine
it to have been his only work, and that he had spent the whole period
of his reign in adorning it alone. For the present, as I said before,
I shall describe the churches in Byzantium. One of the churches of
the Virgin[9] was built by him outside the walls, in a place named
Blachernæ (for he must be credited with the pious foundations of
Justin, his uncle, since he administered his kingdom at his own
discretion). This church is near the sea-shore, of great sanctity and
magnificence; it is long, yet its width is well proportioned to its
length, and above and below it is supported and rests on nothing less
than sections of Parian marble which stand in the form of columns.
These columns are arranged in a straight line in all parts of the
church except in the middle, where they are set back. Those who enter
this church especially admire its lofty and at the same time secure
construction, and its splendid yet not meretricious beauty.
He built another church in her honour in the place which is called
the Fountain, where there is a thick grove of cypress trees, a meadow
whose rich earth blooms with flowers, a garden abounding in fruit, a
fountain which noiselessly pours forth a quiet and sweet stream of
water, in short where all the surroundings beseem a sacred place. Such
is the country around the church; but as for the church itself, it is
not easy to describe it in fitting words, to form an idea of it in the
mind, or to express it in language; let it suffice for me to say thus
much of it, that in beauty and size it surpasses most other churches.
Both these churches are built outside the city walls, the one at the
place where the wall starts from the sea-shore, the latter close
to what is called the Golden Gate, which is near the further end of
the fortifications, in order that both of them might form impregnable
defences for the city walls. Besides these, in the temple of Hera, now
called the Hiereum, he erected a church in honour of the Virgin, which
cannot easily be described.
In that part of the city which is called Deuteron[10] he built a noble
and admirable church in honour of St. Anne, whom some think to have
been the mother of the Virgin, and the grandmother of Christ; for God,
in choosing to become man, subjected Himself to having grand-parents
and a genealogy on His mother’s side like a man. Not very far from this
church, in the last street of the city, there is a fine church built in
honour of the martyr Zoe.
He found the church of the Archangel Michael[11] at Byzantium small,
very dark, and quite unworthy of being dedicated to the archangel,
having been built by one Senator, a patrician in former times, and
in shape very like a small bedroom in a poor man’s house. Wherefore
he razed it entirely to the ground, that no part of its former
unseemliness might be left, and rebuilding it of a goodly size, in
the manner which we now see, changed it into a building of wonderful
beauty. This church is of a quadrangular form, its length apparently
not greatly exceeding its width; of its sides, that which looks towards
the east has at its extremities a thick wall constructed of a great
mass of stones, but in the middle is set back, forming a recess, on
each side of which the roof is supported by columns of variegated
stone. The opposite wall, that towards the west, is pierced with doors
opening into the church.
[Illustration: PLAN OF CHURCH OF SS. SERGIUS AND BACCHUS.]
IV. His faith in the Apostles of Christ is testified in the following
manner: In the first place he built the Church to SS. Peter and
Paul, which did not exist before in Byzantium, close to the King’s
palace, which was formerly called by the name of Hormisdas.[12] This
was once his own private house; and when he became Emperor of the
Romans, he made it look worthy of a palace by the magnificence of its
buildings, and joined it to the other imperial apartments. Here also
he built another church dedicated to the glorious saints Sergius and
Bacchus,[13] and afterwards another church standing obliquely to
it. These two churches stand, not facing one another, but obliquely
towards one another, joined together, and vying one with another. They
have a common entrance, are equal to one another in all respects,
are surrounded by a boundary wall, and neither of them exceeds the
other or falls short of it, either in beauty, size, or any other
respect; for each alike reflects the rays of the sun from its polished
marble, and is alike covered with lavish gilding and adorned with
offerings; in one respect alone they differ, that the length of one is
straight, whereas the columns of the other for the most part stand in a
semicircle. They both have one portico at their vestibule, which from
its great length is called Narthex.[14] The whole vestibule, the court,
the inner doors from the court and the neighbourhood of the palace are
alike common to both, and both these churches are so admirable that
they form a great ornament to the entire city, and especially to the
palace.
After this, out of his exceeding great reverence for all the
Apostles,[15] he did as follows. In ancient times there was one
church at Byzantium dedicated to all the Apostles, but through length
of time it had become ruinous, and seemed not likely to stand much
longer. Justinian took this entirely down, and was careful not only to
rebuild it, but to render it more admirable both in size and beauty;
he carried out his intention in the following manner. Two lines were
drawn in the form of a cross, joining one another in the middle, the
upright one pointing to the rising and setting sun, and the other
cross line towards the north and the south wind. These were surrounded
by a circuit of walls, and within by columns placed both above and
below; at the crossing of the two straight lines, that is, about the
middle point of them, there is a place set apart, which may not be
entered except by the priests, and which is consequently termed the
Sanctuary. The transepts which lie on each side of this, about the
cross line, are of equal length; but that part of the upright line
towards the setting sun is built so much longer than the other part
as to form the figure of the cross. That part of the roof which is
above the Sanctuary is constructed like the middle part of the Church
of Sophia, except that it yields to it in size; for the four arches
are suspended and connected with one another in the same fashion, the
circular building standing above them is pierced with windows, and the
spherical dome which overarches it seems to be suspended in the air,
and not to stand upon a firm base, although it is perfectly secure. In
this manner the middle part of the roof is built: now the roof over the
four limbs of the church is constructed of the same size as that which
I have described over the middle, with this one exception, that the
wall underneath the spherical part is not pierced with windows. When
he had completed the building of this Sanctuary, the Apostles made it
evident to all that they were pleased and thoroughly delighted with
the honour paid them by the Emperor; for the bodies of the Apostles
Andrew, Luke, and Timothy, which had before this been invisible and
altogether unknown, were then made manifest to all men, signifying,
I imagine, that they did not reject the faith of the Emperor, but
permitted him openly to behold them, to approach and to touch them,
that he might gain from them assistance and security for his life. This
was discovered in the following manner.
The Emperor Constantine built this church in the name and in honour of
the Apostles, making a decree that there should be a sepulchre there
for himself, and for those who should rule after him, women as well as
men; which is observed even to the present day. Here also the body of
the father of Constantine was laid; but he did not in any way hint that
the bodies of the Apostles were there, nor did there appear to be any
place set apart for the bodies of saints. When, however, the Emperor
Justinian was rebuilding this church, the workmen dug up the whole
foundation, lest any unseemly thing should be left in it. They saw
there three neglected wooden coffins, which declared by inscriptions
upon them that they contained the bodies of the Apostles Andrew, Luke,
and Timothy, which the Emperor and all Christian men beheld with the
greatest delight. A solemn procession and public festival was ordered,
and, after the customary rites had been performed in their honour, the
coffins were covered up, and again placed in the ground. The place was
not left unmarked or uncared for, but was reverently dedicated to the
bodies of the Apostles. In return for the respect paid them by the
Emperor, the Apostles, as I said before, made themselves manifest to
all men; for, under a religious prince, the host of heaven do not hold
themselves aloof from the affairs of men, but love to mingle with them,
and rejoice in intercourse with mankind.
Who could be silent about the Church of Acacius,[16] which, being
ruinous, he pulled down and built up again from its very foundations,
adding wonderfully to its size? It rests on all sides upon
brilliantly white columns, and its floor is covered with similar
marble, from which so bright a light is reflected as to make one
imagine that the whole church is covered with snow. Two porticos stand
in front of it, the one supported on columns, and the other looking
towards the forum. I was within a little of omitting to mention the
church which was dedicated to St. Plato the Martyr,[17] a truly worthy
and noble building, not far from the forum, which is named after the
Emperor Constantine; and likewise the church dedicated to the Martyr
Mocius,[18] which is the largest of all these churches. Besides this,
there is the Church of the Martyr Thyssus, and the Church of St.
Theodorus,[19] standing outside the city in the place which is called
Rhesias, and the Church of the Martyr Thecla, which is near the harbour
named after Julian, and that of St. Theodota in the suburb which is
called Hebdomon. All these were built from their foundations by this
Emperor during the reign of his uncle Justin, and are not easy to
describe in words, while it is impossible to admire them sufficiently
when beholding them. My narrative is now attracted to the Church of
St. Agathonicus,[20] and I am forced to mention it, though I have no
longer voice nor words befitting such a work: let it be sufficient for
me to have said thus much of it; I will leave the description of its
beauty and sumptuousness in all respects to others to whom the subject
is fresh, and who are not wearied out by their labours.
V. Finding other churches in what is called the Anaplus, and along the
coast of the opposite continent, which were not worthy to be dedicated
to any of the saints, as also round the gulf which the natives call
Ceras,[21] after the name of Ceroessa, the mother of Byzans, who was
the founder of the city, he showed a royal munificence in all of them,
as I will presently prove, having first said a few words about the
glory which the sea adds to Byzantium.
The prosperity of Byzantium is increased by the sea which enfolds
it, contracting itself into straits, and connecting itself with the
ocean, thus rendering the city remarkably beautiful, and affording a
safe protection in its harbours to seafarers, so as to cause it to be
well supplied with provisions and abounding with all necessaries; for
the two seas which are on either side of it, that is to say the Ægean
and that which is called the Euxine, which meet at the east part of
the city and dash together as they mingle their waves, separate the
continent by their currents, and add to the beauty of the city while
they surround it. It is, therefore, encompassed by three straits
connected with one another, arranged so as to minister both to its
elegance and its convenience, all of them most charming for sailing
on, lovely to look at, and exceedingly safe for anchorage. The middle
one of them, which leads from the Euxine Sea, makes straight for the
city as though to adorn it. Upon either side of it lie the several
continents, between whose shores it is confined, and seems to foam
proudly with its waves because it passes over both Asia and Europe
in order to reach the city; you would think that you beheld a river
flowing towards you with a gentle current. That which is on the left
hand of it rests on either side upon widely extended shores, and
displays the groves, the lovely meadows, and all the other charms of
the opposite continent in full view of the city. As it makes its way
onward towards the south, receding as far as possible from Asia, it
becomes wider; but even then its waves continue to encircle the city
as far as the setting of the sun. The third arm of the sea joins the
first one upon the right hand, starting from the place called Sycæ,[22]
and washes the greater part of the northern shore of the city, ending
in a bay. Thus the sea encircles the city like a crown, the interval
consisting of the land lying between it in sufficient quantity to
form a clasp for the crown of waters. This gulf is always calm, and
never crested into waves, as though a barrier were placed there to the
billows, and all storms were shut out from thence, through reverence
for the city. Whenever strong winds and gales fall upon these seas and
this strait, ships, when they once reach the entrance of this gulf,
run the rest of their voyage unguided, and make the shore at random;
for the gulf extends for a distance of more than forty stadia in
circumference, and the whole of it is a harbour, so that when a ship is
moored there the stern rests on the sea and the bows on the land, as
though the two elements contended with one another to see which of them
could be of the greatest service to the city.
VI. Such is the appearance of this gulf; but the Emperor Justinian
rendered it more lovely by the beauty of the buildings with which
he surrounded it; for on the left side of it, he, to speak briefly,
altered the Church of St. Laurentius the Martyr, which formerly was
without windows and very dark,[23] into the appearance which it now
presents; and in front of it he built the Church of the Virgin, in the
place which is called Blachernæ, as I described a little above. Behind
it he built a new church to SS. Priscus and Nicolaus, renewing the
whole building. This is an especially favourite resort of the people
of Byzantium, partly from their respect and reverence for the saints,
which were their countrymen, and partly to enjoy the beauty of the
situation of the church; for the Emperor drove back the waves of the
sea, and laid the foundations as far among the billows as possible.
At the upper part of the gulf, in a very steep and precipitous place,
there was an ancient Church of SS. Cosmas and Damianus; where once
these saints appeared on a sudden to the Emperor as he lay grievously
sick and apparently at the point of death, given up by his physicians,
and already reckoned as dead, and miraculously made him whole. In order
to repay their goodness, as far as a mortal man may do, he entirely
altered and renewed the former building, which was unseemly and humble,
and not worthy to be dedicated to such great saints, adorned the new
church with beauty and size and brilliant light, and gave it many other
things which it did not formerly possess. When men are suffering from
diseases beyond the reach of physicians, and despair of human aid, they
resort to the only hope which is left to them, and sail through this
gulf in boats to this church. As soon as they begin their voyage they
see this church standing as though on a lofty citadel, made beautiful
by the gratitude of the Emperor, and affording them hope that they too
may partake of the benefits which flow from thence.
On the opposite side of the gulf the Emperor built a church which did
not exist before, quite close to the shore of the gulf, and dedicated
it to the Martyr Anthimus. The base of this temple, laved by the gentle
wash of the sea, is most picturesque; for no lofty billows dash against
its stones, nor does the wave resound like that of the open sea, or
burst into masses of foam, but gently glides up to the land, silently
laps against it, and quietly retreats. Beyond this is a level and very
smooth court, adorned all round with marble columns, and rendered
beautiful by its view of the sea. Next to this is a portico, beyond
which rises the church, of a quadrangular form, adorned with beautiful
marble and gildings. Its length only exceeds its breadth far enough
to give room for the sanctuary, in which the sacred mysteries are
performed, on the side which is turned towards the rising sun; such is
the description of it.
VII. Beyond this, at the very mouth of the gulf, stands the Church
of the Martyr Irene,[24] which the Emperor has so magnificently
constructed that I could not competently describe it; for, contending
with the sea in his desire to beautify the gulf, he has built these
churches as though he were placing gems upon a necklace; however, since
I have mentioned this Church of Irene, it will not be foreign to my
purpose to describe what took place there. Here, from ancient times,
rested the remains of no fewer than forty saints, who were Roman
soldiers, and were enrolled in the twelfth legion, which formerly was
stationed in the city of Melitene, in Armenia; now, when the masons
dug in the place which I just spoke of, they found a chest with an
inscription stating that it contained the remains of these men. This
chest, which had been forgotten, was at that time purposely brought
to light by God, both with the object of proving to all men with how
great joy He received the gifts of the Emperor, and also in order to
reward his good works by the bestowal of a still greater favour; for
the Emperor Justinian was in ill-health, and a large collection of
humours in his knee caused him great pain. His illness arose from his
own fault; for during all the days which precede the Paschal Feast,
and are called fast-days, he practised a severe abstinence, unfit not
only for a prince, but even for a man who took no part in political
matters. He used to pass two days entirely without food, and that, too,
although he rose from his bed at early dawn to watch over the State,
whose business he ever transacted, both by actions and words, early
in the morning, at midday, and at night with equal zeal; for though
he would retire to rest late at night, he would almost immediately
arise, as though disliking his bed. Whenever he did take nourishment,
he refrained from wine, bread, and all other food, eating only herbs,
and those wild ones which had been for a long time pickled in salt and
vinegar, whilst water was his only drink. Yet he never ate to repletion
even of these; but whenever he dined, he would merely taste this food,
and then push it away, never eating sufficient. From this regimen his
disease gathered strength, defying the efforts of physicians, and for
a long time the Emperor suffered from these pains. During this time,
hearing of the discovery of the relics, he disregarded human art, and
commended himself to them, deriving health from his faith in them, and
finding healing in his bitterest need from his true faith; for as soon
as the priests placed the paten upon his knee, the disease at once
vanished—forced out of a body dedicated to God. Not wishing that this
matter should be disputed, God displayed a great sign as a testimony
to this miracle. Oil suddenly poured forth from the holy relics,
overflowed the chest, and besprinkled the feet and the purple garment
of the Emperor. Wherefore his tunic, thus saturated, is preserved in
the palace as a testimony of what then took place, and for the healing
of those who in future time may suffer from incurable disorders.
VIII. Thus did the Emperor Justinian adorn the gulf which is called
the Horn; he also added great beauty to the shores of the other two
straits, of which I lately made mention, in the following manner. There
were two churches dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, opposite
to one another, on either side of the strait, the one in the place
called Anaplus[25] on the left hand as one sails into the Euxine Sea,
and the other on the opposite shore. This place was called Pröochthus
by the ancients—I suppose because it projects a long way from that
shore—and is now called Brochi, the ignorance of the inhabitants
having in process of time corrupted the name. The priests of these two
churches, perceiving that they were dilapidated by age, and fearing
that they might presently fall down upon them, besought the Emperor
to restore them both to their former condition; for in his reign it
was not possible for a church either to be built, or to be restored
when ruined, except from the royal treasury, and that not only in
Byzantium, but also everywhere throughout the Roman Empire. The
Emperor, as soon as he obtained this opportunity, demolished both
of them to the foundation, that no part of their former unseemliness
might be left. He rebuilt the one in Anaplus[26] in the following
manner. He formed the shore into a curve within a mole of stone, which
he erected as a protection to the harbour, and changed the sea-beach
into the appearance of a market; for the sea, which is there very
smooth, exchanges its produce with the land, and sea-faring merchants,
mooring their barques alongside the mole, exchange the merchandise
from their decks for the produce of the country. Beyond this sea-side
market stands forth the vestibule of the church, whose marble vies in
colour with ripe fruit and snow. Those who take their walks in this
quarter are charmed with the beauty of the stone, are delighted with
the view of the sea, and are refreshed with the breezes from the water
and the hills which rise upon the land. A circular portico surrounds
the church on all sides except the east. In the midst of it stands the
church, adorned with marble of various colours. Above it is suspended
a domed roof. Who, after viewing it, could speak worthily of the lofty
porticoes, of the buildings within, of the grace of the marble with
which the walls and foundations are everywhere encrusted? In addition
to all this, a great quantity of gold is everywhere spread over the
church, as though it grew upon it. In describing this, I have also
described the Church of St. John the Baptist,[27] which the Emperor
Justinian lately erected in his honour in the place called Hebdomon;
for both the two churches are very like each other, except only that
the Church of the Baptist does not happen to stand by the sea-shore.
The Church of the Archangel, in the place called Anaplus, is built
in the above manner; now upon the opposite shore there is a place
at a little distance from the sea, which is level, and raised high
upon a mass of stones. Here has been built a church in honour of the
Archangel, of exceeding beauty, of the largest size, and in costliness
worthy of being dedicated to the Archangel Michael by the Emperor
Justinian. Not far from this church, he restored a church of the
Virgin, which had fallen into ruins long before, whose magnificence
it would take long to examine and to express in words; but here a
long-expected part of our history finds its place.
IX. Upon this shore there stood from ancient times a beautiful palace:
the whole of this the Emperor Justinian dedicated to God, exchanging
present enjoyment for the reward of his piety hereafter, in the
following manner. There were at Byzantium a number of women who were
prostituted in a brothel, not willingly, but compelled to exercise
their profession; for under pressure of poverty they were compelled
by the procurer who kept them to act in this manner, and to offer
themselves to unknown and casual passers-by. There was here from
ancient times a guild of brothel-keepers, who not only carried on their
profession in this building, but publicly bought their victims in the
market, and forced them into an unchaste life. However, the Emperor
Justinian and the Empress Theodora, who performed all their works of
piety in common, devised the following scheme. They cleansed the State
from the pollution of these brothels, drove out the procurers, and set
free these women who had been driven to evil courses by their poverty,
providing them with a sufficient maintenance, and enabling them to live
chaste as well as free. This was arranged in the following manner: they
changed the palace, which stood on the right hand as one sails into the
Euxine Sea, into a magnificent convent, to serve as a refuge for women
who had repented of their former life, in order that there spending
their lives in devotion to God, and in continual works of piety, they
might wash away the sins of their former life of shame; wherefore this
dwelling of these women is called from their work by the name of the
Penitentiary. The princes endowed this convent with large revenues,
and furnished it with many buildings of exceeding great beauty and
costliness for the comfort of these women, so that none of them might
be forced by any circumstances to relax their practice of chastity. So
much then for this part of the subject.
As one sails from this place towards the Euxine Sea, there is a lofty
promontory jutting out from the shore of the strait, upon which stood a
Church of the Martyr St. Pantelëemon,[28] which, having been originally
carelessly built, and having been much ruined by lapse of time, was
taken down by the Emperor Justinian, who built the church which now
stands there with the greatest magnificence, and both preserved the
honour due to the martyr and added beauty to the strait by building
on each side of it the churches which I have mentioned. Beyond this
church, in a place which is called Argyronium, there was, in old
times, a hospital for poor men afflicted with incurable diseases,
which having in the course of time fallen into the last stage of
decay, he most zealously restored, to serve as a refuge for those
who were thus afflicted. Near this place there is a district by the
sea-side called Mochadius, which is also called Hieron. Here he built
a temple in honour of the Archangel of remarkable splendour, and in
no respect inferior to those Churches of the Archangel, of which I
spoke just now. He also built a church dedicated to St. Tryphon the
Martyr, decorated with much labour and time to an indescribable pitch
of beauty, in that street of the city which is called by the name of
‘The Stork.’ Furthermore, he built a church in the Hebdomon, in honour
of the martyrs Menas[29] and Menæsus; and finding that the Church of
St. Ias the Martyr, which is on the left hand as one enters the Golden
Gate, was in ruins, he restored it with a lavish expenditure. This is
what was done by the Emperor Justinian in connection with the churches
in Byzantium; but to describe all his works throughout the entire
Roman Empire in detail, is a difficult task, and altogether impossible
to express in words, but, whenever I shall have to make mention of
the name of any city or district, I shall take the opportunity of
describing the churches in it.
X. The above were the works of the Emperor Justinian upon the
churches of Constantinople and its suburbs; but as to the other
buildings constructed by him, it would not be easy to mention them all.
However, to sum up matters, he rebuilt and much improved in beauty
the largest and most considerable part both of the city and of the
palace, which had been burned down and levelled with the ground. It
appears unnecessary for me to enter into particulars on this subject
at present, since it has all been minutely described in my ‘History
of the Wars.’ For the present I shall only say this much, that the
vestibule of the palace and that which is called Chalce, as far as what
is known as the House of Ares, and outside the palace the public baths
of Zeuxippus,[30] and the great porticoes and all the buildings on
either hand, as far as the forum of Constantine, are the works of this
Emperor. In addition to these, he restored and added great magnificence
to the house named after Hormisdas, which stands close to the palace,
rendering it worthy of the palace, to which he joined it, and thereby
rendered it much more roomy and worthy of admiration on that side.
In front of the palace there is a forum surrounded with columns. The
Byzantines call this forum the Augustæum. I mentioned it in a former
part of this work, when, after describing the Church of St. Sophia, I
spoke of the brazen statue of the Emperor, which stands upon a very
lofty column of stones as a memorial of that work. On the eastern side
of this forum stands the Senate House, which baffles description by
its costliness and entire arrangement, and which was the work of the
Emperor Justinian. Here at the beginning of every year the Roman Senate
holds an annual festival, according to the custom of the State.
Six columns stand in front of it, two of them having between them that
wall of the Senate House which looks towards the west, while the four
others stand a little beyond it. These columns are all white in colour,
and in size, I imagine, are the largest columns in the whole world.
They form a portico covered by a circular dome-shaped roof. The upper
parts of this portico are all adorned with marble equal in beauty to
that of the columns, and are wonderfully ornamented with a number of
statues standing on the roof.
Not far from this forum stands the Emperor’s palace, which, as I have
said before, was almost entirely rebuilt by the Emperor Justinian. To
describe it all in words is impossible, but it will suffice for future
generations to know that it was all the work of this Emperor. As,
according to the proverb, we know the lion by his claw, so my readers
will learn the magnificence of this palace from the entrance-hall. This
entrance-hall is the building called Chalce; its four walls stand in a
quadrangular form, and are very lofty; they are equal to one another
in all respects, except that those on the north and south sides are a
little shorter than the others. In each angle of them stands a pier
of very well-wrought stone, reaching from the floor to the summit of
the wall, quadrangular in form and joining the wall on one of its
sides: they do not in any way destroy the beauty of the place, but even
add ornament to it by the symmetry of their position. Above them are
suspended eight arches, four of which support the roof, which rises
above the whole work in a spherical form, whilst the others, two of
which rest on the neighbouring wall towards the south and two towards
the north, support the arched roof which is suspended over those
spaces. The entire ceiling is decorated with paintings, not formed of
melted wax poured upon it, but composed of tiny stones adorned with
all manner of colours, imitating human figures and everything else
in nature. I will now describe the subjects of these paintings. Upon
either side are wars and battles, and the capture of numberless cities,
some in Italy, and some in Libya. Here the Emperor Justinian conquers
by his General Belisarius; and here the General returns to the Emperor,
bringing with him his entire army unscathed, and offers to him the
spoils of victory, kings, and kingdoms, and all that is most valued
among men. In the midst stand the Emperor and the Empress Theodora,
both of them seeming to rejoice and hold high festival in honour of
their victory over the kings of the Vandals and the Goths, who approach
them as prisoners of war led in triumph. Around them stands the Senate
of Rome, all in festal array, which is shown in the mosaic by the joy
which appears on their countenances; they swell with pride and smile
upon the Emperor, offering him honours as though to a demi-god, after
his magnificent achievements. The whole interior, not only the upright
parts, but also the floor itself, is encrusted with beautiful marbles,
reaching up to the mosaics of the ceiling. Of these marbles, some are
of a Spartan stone equal to emerald, while some resemble a flame of
fire; the greater part of them are white, yet not a plain white, but
ornamented with wavy lines of dark blue.[31] So much for this building.
XI. As one sails from the Propontis towards the eastern part of the
city, there is a public bath on the left hand which is called the
Baths of Arcadius, and which forms an ornament to the city of
Constantinople, great as it is. Here our Emperor constructed a court
standing outside the city, intended as a promenade for the inhabitants,
and a mooring-place for those who sail past it. This court is lighted
by the sun when rising, but is conveniently shaded when he proceeds
towards the west. Round it the sea flows quietly with a gentle stream,
coming like a river from the main sea, so that those who are taking
their walks in it are able to converse with those who are sailing;
for the sea reaches up to the basement of the court with great depth,
navigable for ships, and by its remarkable calm enables those on the
water and on the land to converse with one another. Such is the side of
the court which looks upon the sea, adorned with the view over it, and
refreshed with the gentle breezes from it. Its basement, its columns,
and its entablature are all covered with marble of great beauty, whose
colour is of a most brilliant white, which glitters magnificently in
the rays of the sun; moreover, many statues adorn it, some of brass
and some of marble, composing a sight well worth mention; one would
conjecture that they were the work of Phidias the Athenian, of Lysippus
of Sicyon, or of Praxiteles. Here also is a statue of the Empress
Theodora on a column, which was erected in her honour by the city
as an offering of gratitude for this court. The face of the statue
is beautiful, but falls short of the beauty of the Empress, since
it is utterly impossible for any mere human workmen to express her
loveliness, or to imitate it in a statue; the column is of porphyry,
and clearly shows by its magnificent appearance that it carries the
Empress, before one sees the statue.
I will now explain the Emperor’s works to afford an abundant supply of
water to the city. In summer-time the imperial city used for the most
part to suffer from scarcity of water, although at other seasons it
had sufficient; for at that time, in consequence of the drought, the
fountains flowed less plenteously than at other seasons, and supplied
the aqueducts of the city very sparingly. Wherefore the Emperor
devised the following plan. In the Portico of the Emperor, where the
advocates, and magistrates, and other persons connected with the law
transact business, there is a very lofty court of great length and
width, quadrangular in shape, and surrounded with columns, which is not
constructed upon an earthen foundation, but upon the rock itself. Four
porticos surround this court, one upon each side of it. The Emperor
Justinian excavated one of these porticos, that upon the south side, to
a great depth, and stored up there the superfluity of water from the
other seasons for use in summer. These cisterns receive the overflow
from the aqueducts, when they are too full of water, giving them a
place to overflow into, and afford a supply in time of need when water
becomes scarce. Thus did the Emperor Justinian arrange that the people
of Byzantium should not want for sweet water.
He also built new palaces elsewhere, one in the Heræum,[32] which is
now called the Hiereum, and in the place called Jucundiana. I am unable
to describe either the magnificence or exquisite workmanship, or the
size of these palaces in a manner worthy of the subject. Suffice it to
say that these palaces stand there, and were built in the presence and
according to the plans of Justinian, who disregarded nothing except
expense, which was so large that the mind is unable to grasp it. Here
also he constructed a sheltered harbour, which did not exist before.
Finding that the shore was exposed on both sides to the winds and the
violence of the waves, he arranged a place of refuge for mariners
in the following manner: he constructed what are called chests, of
countless number and of great size, flung them into the sea on each
side of the beach in an oblique direction, and by continually placing
fresh layers in order upon the others, formed two walls in the sea
opposite to one another, reaching from the depths below to the surface
of the water on which the ships sail; upon this he flung rough stones,
which when struck by the waves break their force, so that when a strong
wind blows in the winter season, everything between these walls remains
calm, an interval being left between them to serve as an entrance
for ships into the harbour. Here also he built the churches which I
formerly mentioned, and also porticos, market-places, public baths,
and everything else of that sort; so that this palace in no respect
falls short of that within the city. He also built another harbour on
the opposite continent, in the place which is called after the name of
Eutropius, not very far from the Heræum, constructed in the same manner
as that which I mentioned above.
The above are, described as briefly as possible, the works of the
Emperor Justinian in the imperial city. I will now describe the only
thing which remains. Since the Emperor dwells here, a multitude of men
of all nations comes into the city from all the world, in consequence
of the vast extent of the empire, each one of them led thither either
by business, by hope, or by chance, many of whom, whose affairs at home
have fallen into disorder, come with the intention of offering some
petition to the Emperor. These persons, forced to dwell in the city on
account of some present or threatened misfortune, in addition to their
other trouble are also in want of lodging, being unable to pay for a
dwelling-place during their stay in the city. This source of misery was
removed from them by the Emperor Justinian and the Empress Theodora,
who built very large hospices as places of refuge in time of need for
such unfortunate persons as these, close to the sea, in the place which
is called the Stadium, I suppose because in former times it was used
for public games.
NOTE.—For the interesting church of the Chora, see Appendix.