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Transcriber’s note:
Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
Text enclosed by equal signs is in blackletter
(=blackletter=).
See additional notes at the end of the book.
[Illustration: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
FUNDAVIT CONSTANTINOP.
ANNO CCCXXX.
_From Angeloni._ _J. Tinney Sculp._]
THE
=Antiquities=
OF
CONSTANTINOPLE.
With a DESCRIPTION of its _SITUATION_,
the Conveniencies of its PORT,
its _PUBLICK BUILDINGS_,
the Statuary, Sculpture, Architecture, _and other_
_CURIOSITIES_ of that CITY.
With CUTS explaining the Chief of them.
=In Four Books.=
_Written Originally in_ Latin _by_
PETRUS GYLLIUS _A BYZANTINE HISTORIAN_.
Now Translated into _English_, and Enlarged with an Ancient
_Description_ of the WARDS of that CITY, as they stood in the Reigns
of _Arcadius_ and _Honorius_.
With _Pancirolus’s NOTES_ thereupon.
_To which is added
A large Explanatory INDEX._
By JOHN BALL, formerly of _C. C. C. Oxon._
——_Res Antiquæ laudis, et artis
Ingredior._—— Vir. Geo. 2.
LONDON.
Printed for the Benefit of the Translator, 1729.
_J. Tinney Sculp._
[Illustration: Page Header Decoration]
TO
RICHARD BANNER, Esq;
OF
_PERRY-HALL_,
IN THE
County of _STAFFORD_.
SIR,
No sooner had my Inclinations prevail’d upon me to publish this Author,
but my Gratitude directed me where I should make the Dedication.
These Labours are yours by many Obligations. Your Services to me
demand them, you have express’d a particular Esteem for Pieces of
this Kind, you have assisted me with a valuable Collection of Books
in the Translation of them, and you have encourag’d the Performance
by the Interest of your Friends; so that if there be any Merit in the
Publication of it, ’tis you who are entitled to it.
The Knowledge of _Antiquity_ was always look’d upon as a Study worthy
the Entertainment of a Gentleman, and was never in higher Estimation
among the Nobility and Gentry of _Great Britain_ than it is now.
And this Regard which the present Age pays to it, proceeds from a
wise Discernment, and a proportionable Value of Things. For we never
entertain our Curiosity with more Pleasure, and to better Purposes,
than by looking into the Art, and Improvement, and Industry of antient
Times, and by observing how they excited their Heroes and great Men to
virtuous and honourable Actions by the Memorials of _Statuary_ and
_Sculpture_; the silent Records of their Greatness, and the lasting
History of their Glory.
The great Discoveries made of late, and publish’d by a [A]Society
of Gentlemen, united in the Search of _Antiquity_, will be lasting
Monuments of their Fame in future Times, and will be look’d upon as
Arguments of an ingenious Curiosity, in looking into the delectable
Situations of Places, in preserving the beautiful Ruines of Antient
Buildings, and in setting Chronology in a truer Light, by the Knowledge
of Coins and Medals.
But, Sir, what I principally intend in this Dedication, is to do
Justice to Merit, and to acquaint the World, That you never look’d upon
Licentiousness, and Infidelity, to be any Part of the Character of a
fine Gentleman, That Virtue does not sit odly upon Men of a superior
Station, and That in you we have an Example of one, who has Prudence
enough to temper the innocent Freedoms of Life with the Strictnesses
of Duty, and Conduct enough to be Merry, and not Licentious, to be
Sociable, and not Austere; a Deportment this, which sets off your
Character beyond the most elaborate Expressions of Art, and is not to
be describ’d by the most curious Statue, or the most durable Marble. I
am, Sir, with very great Regard,
_Your most Oblig’d_,
_And most Obedient Servant_,
JOHN BALL.
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[A] The Society of _Antiquaries_ in _London_.
[Illustration: Page Header Decoration]
THE
PREFACE
OF THE
TRANSLATOR.
_It is customary upon a Translation to give some Account both of the
Author, and his Writings. The Author_ Petrus Gyllius, _as he stands
enroll’d among the Men of Eminency, and Figure in polite Learning, I
find to be a Native of_ Albi, _in_ France. _He was in great Reputation
in the sixteenth Century, and was look’d upon as a Writer of so good a
Taste, and so comprehensive a_ Genius, _that there was scarce any thing
in the polite Languages, which had escap’d him. As he had a particular
Regard for Men of distinguished Learning, so was he equally honour’d,
and esteem’d by them._ Francis _the First, King of_ France, _the great
Patron of Literature, and who was also a good Judge of his Abilities,
sent him into_ Italy, _and_ Greece, _to make a Collection of all the
choice Manuscripts which had never been printed, but in his Passage it
was his Misfortune to be taken by the_ Corsairs. _Some Time after, by
the Application and Generosity of Cardinal_ d’Armanac, _he was redeem’d
from Slavery. The just Sense this munificent Patron had of his Merit,
incited him, when my Author had finish’d more than fourty Years Travels
over all_ Greece, Asia, _and the greatest Part of_ Africa, _in the
Search of Antiquity, to receive him into his Friendship, and Family;
where, while he was digesting, and methodizing his Labours for the
Service of the Publick, he dy’d in the Year 1555, and in the_ 65ᵗʰ
_Year of his Age_.
_Although it was his Intention to have published all the Learned
Observations he had made in his Travels, yet he liv’d to give us only
a Description of the_ Bosporus, Thrace, _and_ Constantinople, _with an
Account of the_ Antiquities _of each of those Places. In his Search of
what was curious he was indefatigable, and had a perfect Knowledge of
it in all its Parts. He had also translated into_ Latin Theodore_’s
Commentaries on the_ Minor Prophets, _and sixteen Books of_ Ælian_’s_
History of Animals. Petrus Belonius _is highly reflected upon, in that
being his Domestick, and a Companion with him in his Travels, he took
the Freedom to publish several of his Works under his own Name: And
indeed such a flagrant Dishonesty in acting the Plagiary in so gross a
manner, was justly punish’d with the most severe Censures; since it
had been Merit enough to have deserv’d the Praises of the Learned World
for Publishing such valuable Pieces, with an honourable Acknowledgment
of the Author of them_.
_I have no Occasion to vindicate the Worth and Credit of my Author,
whose Fame will live, and flourish, while the Characters given him by_
Gronovius, Thuanus, Morreri, Tournefort, _and_ Montfaucon _are of any
Weight. These Great Men have recorded him to future Times, for his deep
Insight into_ Natural _Knowledge, his unweary’d Application to the
Study of_ Antiquity, _and his great Accuracy and Exactness in Writing_.
_In the following Treatise, the Reader has before him a full and lively
View of one of the most magnificent Cities in the Universe; stately,
and beautiful in its Natural Situation, improv’d with all the Art and
Advantages of fine Architecture, and furnished with the most costly
Remains of Antiquity; so that_ New Rome, _in many Instances of that
Kind, may seem to excell the_ Old.
_I hope my Author will not be thought too particular and exact in
describing the several Hills and Vales, upon which_ Constantinople
_stands, when it is consider’d, that he is delineating_ the Finest
Situation in the World.
_The Manner in which he treats on this Subject is very entertaining;
and his Descriptions, though with the greatest Regard to Truth, are
embellish’d with a Grace and Beauty, almost Poetical. This, I look upon
it, was occasion’d by the agreeable Variety of delightful Prospects and
Situations, which the Subject naturally led him to describe._
_The present State of_ Constantinople, _I mean as to the Meanness and
Poverty of its Buildings, is attested by all those, who have either
seen, or wrote concerning it; so that ’tis not_ Now _to be compar’d
with it self, as it stood in its Antient Glory. The_ Turks _have such
an Aversion to all that is curious in Learning, or magnificent in
Architecture, or valuable in Antiquity, that they have made it a Piece
of Merit, for above 200 Years, to demolish, and efface every thing
of that Kind; so that this Account of the_ Antiquities _of that City
given us by_ Gyllius, _is not only the_ Best, _but indeed the_ Only
_collective History of them_.
_In tracing out the Buildings of Old_ Byzantium, _the antient_ Greek
_Historians, which he perfectly understood, were of great Service to
him; this, with his own personal Observations, as residing for some
Years at_ Constantinople, _furnish’d him with Materials sufficient for
the present History_.
_The Curious, who have always admir’d the Accuracy of this Work of_
Gyllius, _have yet been highly concern’d, that it wanted the Advantage
of Cuts, by which the Reader might have the agreeable Pleasure of
surveying with the Eye, what my Author has so exactly describ’d with
the Pen_.
_I have therefore endeavour’d to supply this Defect, by presenting
to the View of the Reader a Collection of Figures, which do not only
refer to such Curiosities as be will find mention’d in the several
Parts of my Author, but such as have been describ’d by other later
Travellers; and by this Means I hope I have given a compleat View of
whatsoever is most remarkable in the_ Antiquities of Constantinople.
_The Catalogue and Order of the Cuts is as follows_;
I. _The_ Thracian Bosporus, _with the Situation of_ Constantinople, _as
antiently divided into_ Wards; _from_ Du Fresne.
II. _A Delineation of that City, as it stood in the Year 1422, before
it was taken by the_ Turks; _from the same_.
III. _The Ichnography, or Plan of the Church of_ Sancta Sophia; _from
the same_.
IV. _The whole View of the Church of_ Sancta Sophia; _from the same_.
V. _The outside Prospect of that Church; from the same._
VI. _The inside View of it; from the same._
VII. _The Plan of the Church of the Apostles; from Sir_ George Wheler.
VIII. _The antient_ Hippodrom, _with the_ Thebæan Obelisk, _and the
Engines by which it was erected; from_ Spon _and_ Wheler.
IX. _The Three Pillars_, viz. _the Serpentine and Porphyry Pillars,
standing in the_ Hippodrom, _as described by_ Gyllius, _with the Pillar
of the Emperor_ Marcian, _since discover’d by_ Spon _and_ Wheler _in a
private Garden; from_ B. Randolph.
X. _The Historical Pillar, described by_ Gyllius, _and since by_
Tournefort; _from_ Du Fresne.
XI. _A View of the Seraglio Point, with a Representation of the present
Imperial Palace, and the Church of_ Sancta Sophia; _from_ B.
Randolph.
_When this Impression was almost finished, a learned Gentleman of
the University of_ Oxon, _to whom my best Acknowledgments are due,
communicated to me a valuable Passage, relating to the Statues of_
Constantinople, _demolished by the_ Romans, _which he transcribed from
the Second Book of_ Nicetas Choniat, _a_ MS. _in the_ Bodl. Lib. _I
have added a Translation of it by way of_ Appendix; _and I presume
that the Reader will look upon it as a curious and an agreeable
Entertainment_.
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CONTENTS.
_The Preface of the Author, describing the Situation of_
Constantinople, _the Conveniencies of its Port, and the
Commodities in which it abounds_, Page 1
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BOOK I.
CHAP. I. _Of the Founders of_ Byzantium, _and the
different Successes and Revolutions of that City_, Page 13
II. _Of the Extent of Old_ Byzantium, p. 20
III. _Of the Rebuilding it by_ Constantine _the_ Great,
_and the Largeness of it in his Time_, p. 21
IV. _Of the present Figure, Compass, Length, and Breadth
of_ Constantinople, p. 29
V. _A General Description of_ Constantinople, p. 32
VI. _The Situation of all the Parts of the City describ’d_, p. 35
VII. _Of the First Hill, the Palace of the Grand_ Seignor,
_the Church of St._ Sophia, _and the_ Hippodrom, p. 36
VIII. _Of the First Valley_, p. 43
IX. _Of the Second Hill_, p. 44
X. _Of the Second Valley, which divides the Second from
the Third Hill_, p. 48
XI. _Of the Third Hill_, p. 50
XII. _Of the Third Valley_, p. 54
XIII. _Of the Fourth Hill_, p. 55
XIV. _Of the Fifth Hill_, p. 59
XV. _Of the Fifth Valley_, p. 61
XVI. _Of the Sixth Hill_, p. 62
XVII. _Of the Valley which divides the_ Promontory _of
the Sixth Hill from the Seventh Hill_, p. 64
XVIII. _Of the Seventh Hill_, p. 65
XIX. _Of the Walls of the City_, p. 67
XX. _Of the Gates of_ Constantinople, _and the Seven
Towers of Old_ Byzantium, p. 70
XXI. _Of the long Walls_, p. 72
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BOOK II.
CHAP. I. _Of the Buildings and Monuments of Old_ Byzantium
_and_ Constantinople, p. 73
II. _Of the Antient Monuments of the First Hill, and of
the First_ Ward _of the City_, p. 75
III. _Of the Church of St._ Sophia, p. 82
IV. _A Description of the Church of St._ Sophia, _as it
now appears_, p. 87
V. _Of the Statues found on one Side of that Church_, p. 95
VI. _Of the_ Pharo _on the_ Promontory _of_ Ceras, _and
the_ Mangana, p. 96
VII. _Of the_ Bagnio’s _of_ Zeuxippus, _and its Statues_, p. 97
VIII. _Of the Hospitals of_ Sampson, _and_ Eubulus, p. 100
IX. _Of the Statue of_ Eudocia Augusta, _for which
St._ Chrysostom _was sent into Banishment_, p. 101
X. _Of those Parts of the City which are contain’d in
the Third_ Ward, p. 102
XI. _Of the_ Hippodrom, _its_ Obelisk, _its_ Statues,
_and_ Columns, p. 103
XII. _Of the_ Colossus, p. 108
XIII. _Of some other_ Columns _in the_ Hippodrom, p. 110
XIV. _Of the Church of_ Bacchus, _of the Court of_ Hormisda,
_and the House of_ Justinian, p. 117
XV. _Of the Port of_ Julian _and_ Sophia; _of the_ Portico
_nam’d_ Sigma, _and the Palace of St._ Sophia, p. 120
XVI. _Of the Fourth_ Ward, p. 126
XVII. _Of the_ Forum _called_ Augusteum, _the Pillar of_
Theodosius, _and_ Justinian, _also of the_ Senate-house, p. 127
XVIII. _Of the Imperial Palace, and the_ Basilica, _as also
of the Palace of_ Constantine, _and of the House of Entrance
nam’d_ Chalca, p. 133
XIX. _Of the_ Basilica, _and the Imperial Walks_, p. 140
XX. _Of the Imperial Library and_ Portico, _and also of the
Imperial_ Cistern, p. 143
XXI. _Of the_ Chalcopratia, p. 148
XXII. _Of the_ Portico’s _situate between the Palace, and
the_ Forum _of_ Constantine, p. 150
XXIII. _Of the_ Miliarium Aureum, _and its Statues; of_
Fortune, _the Goddess of the City, and her Statue_, p. 152
XXIV. _Of the Temple of_ Neptune, _and the Church of
St._ Mina _or_ Menna, _of the_ Stadia, _and_ Stairs _of_
Timasius, p. 157
XXV. _Of the_ Lausus, _and its Statues_; viz. _a_ Venus _of_
Cnidos, _a_ Juno _of_ Samos, _a_ Minerva _of_ Lindia, _a
winged_ Cupid, _a_ Jupiter Olympius, _a_ Saturn, Unicorns,
Tygers, Vultures, Beasts _that are half Camels and half
Panthers; of the Cistern, in an Hospital, which was call’d_
Philoxenos, _and a_ Chrysotriclinium, p. 159
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BOOK III.
CHAP. I. _Of several Places in the Fifth_ Ward, _and the
Second Hill; of the_ Neorium, _of the Port nam’d the_
Bosporium, _of the_ Strategium, _and the_ Forum _of_
Theodosius, p. 164
II. _Of the Sixth_ Ward, _and the remaining antient
Buildings of the Second Hill_, p. 171
III. _Of the_ Porphyry _Pillar, the_ Forum _of_ Constantine,
_and the_ Palladium, p. 172
IV. _Of the Senate House, the_ Nympheum, _and the Statues
in the_ Forum _of_ Constantine, _of the_ Labarum _and_
Supparum, _of the_ Philadelphium, _of the Death of_ Arius,
_and of the Temples of_ Tellus, Ceres, Persephone, Juno,
_and_ Pluto, p. 181
V. _Of the Seventh Ward_, p. 190
VI. _Of the Street call’d_ Taurus, _of the_ Forum, _and
Pillar of_ Theodosius, _which had winding Stairs within it;
of the_ Tetrapylum, _the_ Pyramidical _Engine of the Winds,
of the Statues of_ Arcadius, _and_ Honorius, _the Churches
of_ Hirena, _and_ Anastasia, _and the Rocks called_
Scyronides, p. 193
VII. _Of the Eighth_ Ward, _and the Back-part of the
Third Hill_, p. 202
VIII. _Of the Ninth_ Ward, _of the Temple of_ Concord,
_of the Granaries of_ Alexandria _and_ Theodosius, _of
the Baths of_ Anastasia, _of the House of_ Craterus, _of
the_ Modius, _and the Temple of the_ Sun _and_ Moon, p. 205
IX. _Of the Third Valley and the Tenth_ Ward, _of the
House, and Palace of_ Placidia, _of the_ Aqueducts of
Valentinian, _the Baths of_ Constantius, _and the_
Nympheum, p. 209
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BOOK IV.
CHAP. I. _Of the Eleventh_ Ward, _and of the Fourth and
Fifth Hill_, p. 217
II. _Of the Church of the_ Apostles, _of the Sepulchre
of_ Constantine _the_ Great, _of the Cisterns of_
Arcadius, _and_ Modestus, _of the Palace of_ Placilla,
_and the_ Brazen Bull, p. 221
III. _Of the Sixth Hill, and the Fourteenth_ Ward, p. 236
IV. _Of the_ Hepdomum, _a Part of the Suburbs, of
the_ Triclinium _of_ Magnaura, _of the Palace called_
Cyclobion, _of the Statue of_ Mauritius, _and his
Arsenal, and also of the Place called the_ Cynegium, p. 238
V. _Of the_ Blachernæ, _the_ Triclinium _of the_
Blachernæ, _of the Palace, the_ Aqueduct, _and many other
Places of Antiquity_, p. 244
VI. _Of the Bridge near the Church of St._ Mamas, _of
the_ Hippodrom, _of the_ Brazen Lyon, _and the Tomb of
the Emperor_ Mauritius, p. 248
VII. _Of the Seventh Hill, the Twelfth_ Ward, _and of the
Pillar of_ Arcadius, p. 250
VIII. _Of the Statues, and the ancient_ Tripos _of_
Apollo _plac’d in the_ Xerolophon, p. 255
IX. _Of the_ Columns _now remaining on the Seventh Hill_, p. 261
X. _Of the Thirteenth_ Ward _of the City, called the_
Sycene Ward, _of the Town of_ Galata, _sometimes called_
Pera, p. 264
XI. _A Description of_ Galata, _of the Temples of_
Amphiaraus, _of_ Diana, _and_ Venus, _of its_ Theatre
_and the_ Forum _of_ Honorius, p. 270
_An Appendix, taken out of a_ MS. _in the_ Bodleian
_Library of the University of_ Oxon, _relating to the
antient Statues of_ Constantinople, _demolish’d by the_
Latins, _when they took the City_, p. 285
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A DESCRIPTION Of the CITY of CONSTANTINOPLE, As it stood
in the REIGNS of ARCADIUS and HONORIUS.
A DESCRIPTION Of the WARDS of CONSTANTINOPLE.
The first _Region_, or _Ward_. p. 3
The Second _Ward_. p. 14
The Third _Ward_. p. 18
The Fourth _Ward_. p. 19
The Fifth _Ward_. p. 27
The Sixth _Ward_. p. 31
The Seventh _Ward_. p. 35
The Eighth _Ward_. p. 38
The Ninth _Ward_. p. 39
The Tenth _Ward_. p. 42
The Eleventh _Ward_. p. 44
The Twelfth _Ward_. p. 46
The Thirteenth _Ward_. p. 48
The Fourteenth _Ward_. p. 51
_A Summary View of the whole City._ p. 53
_Some Account of the_ Suburbs _as they are mention’d in
the_ Codes _and_ Law-Books. p. 59
_Of the present Buildings of_ Constantinople. p. 62
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THE PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR,
Describing the Situation of _Constantinople_, the Conveniences of its
Port, and the Commodities in which it abounds.
Constantinople is situated after such a Manner in a _Peninsula_, that
’tis scarce bounded by the Continent; for on three Sides ’tis inclosed
by the Sea. Nor is it only well fortified by its natural Situation, but
’tis also well guarded by Forts, erected in large Fields, extending
from the City at least a two Day’s Journey, and more than twenty Miles
in Length. The Seas that bound the _Peninsula_ are _Pontus_, or the
_Black Sea_, the _Bosporus_, and the _Propontis_. The City is inclosed
by a Wall formerly built by _Anastasius_. ’Tis upon this Account that
being secured as it were by a double _Peninsula_, she entitles her self
the Fortress of all _Europe_, and claims the Preheminence over all
the Cities of the World, as hanging over the Straits both of _Europe_
and _Asia_. For besides other immense Advantages peculiar to it, this
is look’d upon as a principal Convenience of its Situation, that ’tis
encompassed by a Sea abounding with the finest Harbours for Ships;
on the South by the _Propontis_, on the East by the _Bosporus_, and
on the North by a Bay full of Ports, which can not only be secured
by a Boom, but even without such a Security, can greatly annoy the
Enemy. For the Walls of _Constantinople_ and _Galata_ straitning its
Latitude into less than half a Mile over, it has often destroy’d the
Enemies Ships by liquid Fire, and other Instruments of War. I would
remark farther, that were it secured according to the Improvements
of modern Fortification, it would be the strongest Fortress in the
World; _viz._ if the four ancient Ports, formerly inclosed within
its Walls by Booms, were rebuilt; two of which (being not only the
Ornament, but the Defence of old _Byzantium_) held out a Siege
against _Severus_ for the Space of three Years; nor could it ever be
obliged to a Surrender, but by Famine only. For besides the Profits
and Advantages it receives from the _Propontis_ and _Ægean_ Sea,
it holds an absolute Dominion over the _Black Sea_; and by one Door
only, namely by the _Bosporus_, shuts up its Communication with any
other part of the World; for no Ship can pass this Sea, if the Port
thinks fit to dispute their Passage. By which means it falls out,
that all the Riches of the _Black Sea_, whether exported or imported,
are at her Command. And indeed such considerable Exportations are
made from hence of Hydes of all Kinds, of Honey, of Wax, of Slaves,
and other Commodities, as supply a great Part of _Europe_, _Asia_
and _Africa_; and on the other hand, there are imported from those
Places such extraordinary Quantities of Wine, Oil, Corn, and other
Goods without Number, that _Mysia_, _Dacia_, _Pannonia_, _Sarmatia_,
_Mæotis_, _Colchis_, _Spain_, _Albania_, _Cappadocia_, _Armenia_,
_Media_, _Parthia_, and both Parts of _Scythia_, share in the great
Abundance. ’Tis for this Reason, that not only all foreign Nations, if
they would entitle themselves to any Property in the immense Wealth of
the _Black Sea_, but also all Sea Port and Island Towns are obliged
to court the Friendship of this City. Besides, ’tis impossible for
any Ships to pass or repass, either from _Asia_ or _Europe_, but at
her Pleasure, she being as it were the Bridge and Port of both those
Worlds; nay, I might call her the Continent that joins them, did
not the _Hellespont_ divide them. But this Sea is thought, in many
Respects, to be inferior to that of _Constantinople_; first, as it is
much larger, and then, as not having a Bay as that has, by which its
City might be made a _Peninsula_, and a commodious Port for Ships:
And indeed if it had such a Bay, yet could it reap no Advantage of
Commerce from the _Black Sea_, but by the Permission of the People of
_Constantinople_. _Constantine_ at first began to build a City upon
_Sigeum_, a Promontory hanging over the Straits of the _Hellespont_;
but quitting that Situation, he afterwards pitch’d upon a Promontory
of _Byzantium_. _Troy_, I acknowledge, is a magnificent City, but they
were blind, who could not discover the Situation of _Byzantium_; all
stark blind, who founded Cities within View of it, either on the Coast
of the _Hellespont_, or the _Propontis_; which though they maintain’d
their Grandeur for some Time, yet at present are quite in Ruins, or
have only a few Streets remaining, and which, if they were all rebuilt,
must be in Subjection to _Constantinople_, as being superior in Power
to all of them. Wherefore we may justly entitle her the Key, not only
of the _Black Sea_, but also of the _Propontis_ and the _Mediterranean
Sea_. _Cyzicus_ (now called _Chazico_) is highly in Esteem, for that
it joins by two Bridges the Island to the Continent, and unites two
opposite Bays, and is, as _Aristides_ informs us, the Bond of the
_Black_, and the _Mediterranean Sea_; but any Man, who has his Eyes
in his Head, may see, that ’tis but a very weak one. The _Propontis_
flows in a broad Sea, between _Cyzicus_ and _Europe_; by which Means
as a Passage is open into both Seas, though the People of _Cyzicus_
should pretend to dispute it; so they on the other hand, should the
People of _Hellespont_ or _Constantinople_ contest it with them, could
have no Advantage of the Commerce of either of those Seas. I shall say
nothing at present of _Heraclea_, _Selymbria_, and _Chalcedon_, seated
on the Coast of the _Propontis_, anciently Cities of Renown, both
for the Industry of their Inhabitants, and the Agreeableness of their
Situation; but they could never share in the principal Commodities
of other Towns of Traffick, in the Neighbourhood of the Port of
_Constantinople_, which was always look’d upon as impregnable. The
Harbours of those Cities have lain for a considerable time all under
Water, so that they were not of sufficient Force to sail the _Bosporus_
and the _Hellespont_, without the Permission of the Inhabitants of
those Places: But the _Byzantians_ rode Masters of the _Black Sea_,
in Defiance of them all. _Byzantium_ therefore seems alone exempted
from those Inconveniencies and Incapacities which have happen’d to her
Neighbours, and to many other potent and flourishing Cities, which for
several Years having lain in their own Ruins, are either not rebuilt
with their ancient Grandeur, or have changed their former Situation.
All its neighbouring Towns are yet lost: There is only the Name of
_Memphis_ remaining. Whereas _Babylon_, seated in its Neighbourhood,
from a small Fort, is become a large and populous City; and yet neither
of them is so commodious as _Constantinople_. I shall take no Notice
of _Babylon_ in _Assyria_, who, when she was in her most flourishing
State, had the Mortification to see a City built near her, equal in
Largeness to her self: Why is not _Alexandria_ rebuilt, but because
she must support her self more by the Industry of her People, than the
Agreeableness of her Situation? ’Twas the Sanctity of St. _Peter_,
and the Grandeur of the _Roman_ Name, that contributed more to the
rebuilding old _Rome_, than the natural Situation of the Place itself,
as having no Convenience for Ships and Harbours. I pass by in Silence
_Athens_ and _Lacedæmon_, which were more remarkable for the Learning
and resolute Bravery of their People, than the Situation of their
City. I omit the two Eyes of the Sea Coast, _Corinth_ and _Carthage_,
both which falling into Ruins at the same Time, were first repaired by
_Julius Cæsar_; afterwards, when they fell entirely to decay, nobody
rebuilt them: And though _Carthage_ is seated in a _Peninsula_ with
several Havens about it, yet in no part of it are there two Seas which
fall into each other: For though _Corinth_ may be said to lie between
two Seas, and is call’d the Fort of _Peloponnesus_, the Key and Door
of _Greece_; yet is it so far from uniting in one Chanel two Seas, or
two Bays adjoining to the _Peninsula_, that she was never able to make
Head against the _Macedonians_ or _Romans_, as _Cyzico_ and _Negropont_
did; the one by its well built Forts and other War-like Means, and the
other by the Strength of its natural Situation. But _Constantinople_
is the Key both of the _Mediterranean_ and _Black Sea_, which alone,
by the best Skill in Navigation, nay though you were to make a Voyage
round the World, you will find to meet only in one Point, and that is,
the Mouth of the Port. I shall say nothing of _Venice_, which does
not so much enclose the Sea for proper Harbours, as ’tis enclosed by
it, and labours under greater Difficulties to keep off the Swellings
and Inundations of the Seas, than unite them together. I pass by the
Situations of the whole Universe, wherever there are, have, or shall
be Cities; in none of them shall you find a Port abounding with so
many and so great Conveniencies, both for the Maintenance of its
Dominion over the Seas, and the Support of Life, as in this City. It
is furnish’d with Plenty of all manner of Provisions, being supply’d
with Corn by a very large Field of _Thrace_, extending itself, in some
Parts of it, a Length of seven Days, and in others, of a more than
twenty Days Journey. I shall say nothing of _Asia_ adjoining to it,
abounding with the greatest Fruitfulness both of Corn and Pasture, and
the best Conveniencies for their Importation from both Seas. And as to
the immense Quantity of its Wines, besides what is the Product of its
own Soil, it is furnish’d with that Commodity from all the Coasts of
the _Bosporus_, the _Propontis_, and the _Hellespont_, which are all
well stock’d with Vineyards; and without the Danger of a long Voyage,
_Constantinople_ can, at her Pleasure, import the choicest Wines of
all Kinds, and whatever else may contribute to her own Gratification
and Delight. ’Tis for this Reason that _Theopompus_ gives her this
Character, That ever since she became a Mart-Town, her People were
wholly taken up, either in the Market, in the Port, or at Taverns,
giving themselves up entirely to Wine. _Menander_, in his Comedy
_Auletris_, tells us, that _Constantinople_ makes all her Merchants
Sots. _I bouze it_, says one of his Actors, _all Night; and upon my
waking after the Dose, I fancy I have no less than four Heads upon
my Shoulders_. The Comedians play handsomely upon them, in giving
us an Account, that when their City was besieged, their General had
no other Way to keep his Soldiers from deferring, but by building
Taverns within the Walls; which, tho’ a Fault proceeding from their
popular Form of Government, yet at the same time denotes to us the
great Fruitfulness of their Soil, and the great Plenty they have of
Wine. They who have been Eye-witnesses can best attest, how well they
are provided with Flesh, with Venison and Fowls, which they might
share more abundantly, but that they are but indifferent Sportsmen.
Their Markets are always stored with the richest Fruits of all Kinds.
If any Objection be made to this, I would have it consider’d, what
Quantities the _Turks_ use, after hard Drinking, to allay their
Thirst. And as to Timber, _Constantinople_ is so plentifully supply’d
with that, both from _Europe_ and _Asia_, and will in all probability
continue to be so, that she can be under no Apprehensions of a Scarcity
that way, as long as she continues a City. Woods of an unmeasurable
Length, extending themselves from the _Propontis_ beyond _Colchis_,
a more than forty Days Journey, contribute to her Stores so that she
does not only supply the neighbouring Parts with Timber for building
Ships and Houses, but even _Ægypt_, _Arabia_ and _Africa_, partake
in the inexhaustible Abundance; while she, of all the Cities in the
World, cannot lie under the want of Wood of any Kind, under which,
even in our Time, we have observed the most flourishing Cities, both
of _Europe_ and _Asia_, sometimes to have fallen. _Marseilles_,
_Venice_, _Taranto_, are all famous for Fish; yet _Constantinople_
exceeds them all in its Abundance of this Kind. The Port is supply’d
with vast Quantities from both Seas; nor do they swim only in thick
Shoals through the _Bosporus_, but also from _Chalcedon_ to this Port.
Insomuch that twenty Fish-Boats have been laden with one Net; and
indeed they are so numberless, that oftentimes from the Continent you
may take them out of the Sea with your Hands. Nay, when in the Spring,
they swim up into the _Black Sea_, you may kill them with Stones.
The Women, with Osier Baskets ty’d to a Rope, angle for them out of
the Windows, and the Fishermen with bare Hooks take a sort of Fish
of the _Tunny_ Kind, in such Quantities, as are a competent Supply
to all _Greece_, and a great part of _Asia_ and _Europe_. But not to
recount the different Kinds of Fish they are stock’d with, they catch
such Multitudes of Oysters, and other Shell Fish, that you may see
in the Fish Market every Day, so many Boats full of them, as are a
Sufficiency to the _Grecians_, all their Fast-Days, when they abstain
from all sorts of Fish which have Blood in them. If there was not so
considerable a Plenty of Flesh at _Constantinople_, if the People took
any Pleasure in eating Fish, and their Fishermen were as industrious as
those of _Venice_ and _Marseilles_, and were also allow’d a Freedom in
their Fishery, they would have it in their Power, not only to pay as
a Tribute a third part of their Fish at least to the Grand _Seignor_,
but also to supply all the lesser Towns in her Neighbourhood. If we
consider the Temperature of the Climate of New _Rome_, it must be
allow’d by proper Judges, that it far excels that of _Pontus_. For my
own part, I have often experienced it to be a more healthy Air than
that of Old _Rome_; and for many Years past, I have scarce observed
above a Winter or two to have been very cold, and that the Summer Heats
have been allay’d by the northern Breezes, which generally clear the
Air for the whole Season. In the Winter, ’tis a little warm’d by the
southern Winds, which have the same Effect. When the Wind is at North,
they have generally Rain, though ’tis quite otherwise in _Italy_ and
_France_. As to the Plague, ’tis less raging, less mortal, and no more
rife among them, than it is, commonly speaking, in great Cities; and
which indeed would be less rife, were it not for the Multitudes of
the common People, and the foul Way of Feeding among their Slaves.
But that I may not seem to flourish too largely in the Praise of this
City, never to be defamed by the most sour _Cynick_, I must confess
that there is one great Inconvenience it labours under, which is,
that ’tis more frequently inhabited by a savage, than a genteel and
civiliz’d People; not but that she is capable of refining the Manners
of the most rude and unpolish’d; but because her Inhabitants, by their
luxurious way of living, emasculate themselves, and for that Reason
are wholly incapable of making any Resistance against those barbarous
People, by whom, to a vast Distance, they are encompass’d on all
Sides. From hence it is, that although _Constantinople_ seems as it
were by Nature form’d for Government, yet her People are neither under
the Decencies of Education, nor any Strictness of Discipline. Their
Affluence makes them slothful, and their Pride renders them averse to
an open Familiarity, and a generous Conversation; so that they avoid
all Opportunities of being thrust out of Company for their Insolence,
or falling into Dissensions amongst themselves, by which means the
Christian Inhabitants of the Place, formerly lost both their City and
Government. But let their Quarrels and Divisions run never so high,
and throw the whole City into a Flame, as they have many times done,
nay tho’ they should rase her even with the Ground, yet she would
soon rise again out of her own Ruins, by reason of the Pleasantness
of her Situation, without which the _Black Sea_ could not so properly
be called the _Euxine_, as the _Axine_ Sea, (the Inhabitants of whose
Coast used to kill all Strangers that fell into their Hands) by reason
of the great Numbers of barbarous People who dwell round the _Black
Sea_. It would be dangerous venturing on the Coasts of the _Black
Sea_, either by Land or Water, which are full of Pyrates and Robbers,
unless they were kept in a tolerable Order by the Government of the
Port. There would be no passing the Straits of the _Bosporus_ which
is inhabited on both Shores by a barbarous People, but for the same
Reason. And though a Man was never so secure of a safe Passage, yet he
might mistake his Road at the Mouth of the _Bosporus_, being misguided
by the false Lights, which the _Thracians_, who inhabit the Coasts of
the _Black Sea_, formerly used to hang out, instead of a _Pharos_. ’Tis
therefore not only in the Power of _Constantinople_, to prevent any
Foreigners sailing the _Black Sea_; but in reality no Powers can sail
it, without some Assistance from her. Since therefore _Constantinople_
is the Fortress of all _Europe_, both against the Pyrates of _Pontus_,
and the Savages of _Asia_, was the never so effectually demolish’d,
as to all Appearance, yet would she rise again out of her Ruins to her
former Grandeur and Magnificence. With what Fury did _Severus_ pursue
this City, even to an entire Subversion? And yet when he cool’d in his
Resentments against these People, he recollected with himself, that
he had destroy’d a City which had been the common Benefactress of the
Universe, and the grand Bulwark of the Eastern Empire. In a little time
after he began to rebuild her, and order’d her, in Honour of his Son,
to be call’d _Antonina_. I shall end with this Reflection; That though
all other Cities have their Periods of Government, and are subject to
the Decays of Time, _Constantinople_ alone seems to claim to herself a
kind of Immortality, and will continue a City, as long as the Race of
Mankind shall live either to inhabit or rebuild her.
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THE ANTIQUITIES OF CONSTANTINOPLE.
BOOK I.
CHAP. I.
_Of the Founders of_ Byzantium, _and the different Successes and
Revolutions of that City_.
It is recorded by _Stephanus_ and _Pausanias_, that _Byzantium_, now
call’d _Constantinople_, was first founded by _Byzas_ the Son of
_Neptune_ and _Ceroessa_, or by a Person named _Byzes_, Admiral of the
Fleet of the _Megarians_, who transplanted a Colony thither. I am of
Opinion, that this was the same Person with _Byzas_. For had it taken
its Name from _Byzes_, this City had more properly been call’d _Byzeum_
than _Byzantium_. _Philostratus_, in the Life of _Marcus_ a Sophist of
_Byzantium_, calls the Admiral of that Fleet by the Name of _Byzas_,
when he informs us, that _Marcus_ (whom he would have descended from
the ancient Family of _Byzas_) made a Voyage to _Megara_, and was
exceedingly in Favour with the People there, who had formerly sent
over a Colony to _Byzantium_. This People, when they had consulted
_Apollo_ where they should found a City, received in Answer from the
Oracle, _That they should seek out a Situation opposite to the Land
of the Blind_. The People of _Chalcedon_ were given to understand by
this mystical Answer, that tho’ they had made a Landing there before,
and had an Opportunity of viewing the commodious Situation of that and
other Places adjacent, yet at last had pitch’d upon the most improper
Place of all. As to what is mention’d by _Justin_, that _Byzantium_
was first founded by _Pausanias_ a _Spartan_, I take it to import no
more than this; that they who affirm that _Syca_, at present call’d
_Galata_, was first founded by the _Genoese_, as was _Constantinople_
by _Constantine_, their Meaning was, that they either rebuilt or
enlarged those Places, and not that they were the first Founders
of them. For when I find it in _Herodotus_, that upon the Invasion
of _Thrace_ by _Darius_, the People of _Byzantium_ and _Chalcedon_
were not in the least Expectation of the Arrival of the _Phœnician_
Fleet, that having quitted their Cities, they retired into the Inland
Shores of the _Black Sea_, and there founded _Mesembria_, and that
the _Phœnicians_ burnt _Byzantium_, and _Chalcedon_; I am of Opinion,
that the _Lacedæmonians_, under the Command of _Pausanias_, sent a
Colony thither, and rebuilt _Byzantium_, which was before either a
Colony of the _Megarians_, or the Seat of the Subjects of _Byzas_
the Son of _Neptune_, its first Founder. _Eustathius_ assures us,
that it was anciently called _Antonina_ from _Antoninus Bassianus_,
the Son of _Severus Cæsar_, but that it passed under that Name no
longer than his Father liv’d, and that many Years after it was call’d
_New Rome_, and _Constantinople_, and _Anthusa_, or _Florentia_, by
_Constantine the Great_; upon which Account it is call’d by _Priscian_
_New Constantinopolitan Rome_. It was foretold by the Oracle, that
its Inhabitants should be a successful and flourishing People, but
a constant Course of Prosperity did not always attend them. ’Twas
with great Difficulty that this City first began to make a Figure
in the World, in the Struggles it underwent with the _Thracians_,
_Bithynians_, and _Gallogrecians_, and in paying a yearly Tribute of
eighty Talents to the _Gauls_ who govern’d _Asia_. ’Twas with greater
Contests that it rose to higher Degrees of Eminency, being frequently
harass’d, not only with foreign, but domestick Enemies. Mighty Changes
it underwent, being sometimes under the popular, sometimes under the
aristocratical Form of Government, widely extending its Conquests in
_Europe_ and _Asia_, but especially in _Bithynia_. For _Philarcus_
observes in the sixth Book of his _History_, that the _Byzantians_ had
the same Power over the _Bithynians_, as the _Lacedæmonians_ had over
their _Helotæ_. This Commonwealth had so great a Veneration for the
_Ptolemæi_ Kings of _Ægypt_, that to one of them nam’d _Philadelphus_,
they pay’d divine Honours, and erected a Temple to him, in the Sight
of their City; and so great a Regard had they for the _Roman_ Name,
that they assisted them against the King of _Macedon_, to whom,
as degenerating from his Predecessors, they gave the nickname of
_Pseudo-Philippus_. I need not mention the powerful Succours they sent
against _Antiochus_, _Perseus_, _Aristonicus_, and the Assistance
they gave _Antonius_, when engaged in a War against the Pyrates. This
City alone stood the Brunt of _Mithridates_’s whole Army landed in
their Territories, and at last, though with great Difficulty, bravely
repell’d the Invader. It assisted at once _Sylla_, _Lucullus_ and
_Pompey_, when they lay’d Siege to any Town or Fortification, which
might be a Security to their auxiliary Forces in their Passage,
either by Sea or Land, or might prove a convenient Port, either for
Exportation or Importation of Provision. Joining its Forces at last
with _Niger_ against _Severus_, it became subject to the _Perinthians_,
and was despoil’d of all the Honours of its Government. All its stately
Bagnio’s and Theatres, its strong and lofty Walls, (built of square
Stone, much of the same Hardness with that of a Grindstone, not brought
from _Miletus_, as _Politianus_ fancies) with which it was fortify’d,
were entirely ruin’d. I say, that this Stone was cut out of no Quarry,
either of ancient _Miletus_, or _Miletopolis_; because _Miletus_ lies
at too great a Distance from it, and _Miletopolis_, which is seated
near the River _Rhyndacus_, is no ways famous for Quarries. I saw,
by the By, this last City, adjoining to the Lake of _Apolloniatus_,
entirely demolish’d, retaining at present its Name only. The Walls
of _Byzantium_, as _Herodian_ relates, were cemented with so thin a
Mortar, that you would by no means think them a conjointed Building,
but one entire Stone. They who saw them in Ruins in _Herodian_’s Time,
were equally surpriz’d at those who built, and those who defaced them.
_Dion_, whom _Zonaras_ quotes, reports, that the Walls of _Byzantium_
were exceeding strong, the Copings of which were built with Stones
three Foot thick, cramp’d together with Links of Brass; and that it
was so firmly compacted inwardly, that the whole Building seem’d to be
one solid Wall. It is adorn’d with numerous and large Towers, having
Gates in them placed one above another. The Walls on the side of the
Continent are very lofty; towards the Sea, not quite so high. It had
two Ports within the Walls, secured with Booms, as was their Entrance
by two high Forts. I had then no Opportunity of consulting _Xenophon_
in the Original; however I was of Opinion from the _Latin_ Translation,
that a Passage in that Author, which is as follows, has a Relation to
one of those Ports: _When the Soldiers_, says he, _had passed over
from_ Chrysopolis _to_ Byzantium, _and were deny’d Entrance into the
City, they threaten’d to force the Gates, unless the Inhabitants open’d
them of their own Accord; and immediately hastening to the Sea, they
scaled the Walls, and leap’d into the Town, hard by the Sides of the
Port, which the_ Greeks _call_ χηλαὶ, that is by the Piles; because
they jet out into the Sea, winding into the Figure of a Crab’s Claw.
But afterwards meeting with that Author in _Greek_, I found no Mention
there of the Port, but only τὴν χηλὴν τοῦ τείχους, that is, near _the
Copings of the Wall_, or rather the Buttresses that support it. Had it
been in the Original χηλὴ τοῦ λιμένος, it ought rather to have been
translated the _Leg_, or the _Arm_. _Dionysius_ a _Byzantian_ mentions,
that the first Winding of the _Bosporus_ contains three Ports. The
_Byzantians_ in their time had five hundred Ships, some of which were
two-oar’d Galleys; some had Rudders both at Stem and Stern, and had
also their Pilates at each, and two Sets of Hands aboard, so that
either in an Engagement, or upon a Retreat, there was no Necessity for
them to tack about. The _Byzantians_, both in the Life-time and after
the Death of _Niger_, when besieged for the Space of three Years, acted
Wonders; for they not only took the Enemies Ships as they sail’d by
them, but dragg’d their three-oar’d Galleys from their Moorings; for
diving under Water they cut their Anchors, and by fastening small Ropes
from the Stern round their Ancles, they hall’d off their Ships, which
seem’d to swim merely by the natural Tyde of the Sea. Nor were the
_Byzantians_ the first who practis’d this Stratagem, but the _Tyrians_
frequently, under a Pretence of gathering Shell-Fish, would play the
same Trick; which _Alexander_ had no sooner discover’d, than he gave
Orders that the Anchors of his whole Fleet, instead of Cables, should
be fasten’d to Iron Chains. In this Siege the _Byzantians_ being
reduced to great Straits, still refused to surrender, making the best
Defence they could with Timber taken from their Houses. They also
breeded Cables for their Ships out of their Womens Hair; nay sometimes
they threw down Statues and Horses upon the Heads of their Enemies.
At last their Provision being entirely spent, they took up with Hydes
soften’d in Water; and these being gone, they were brought to the
extreme Necessity of eating one another: At last, being wholly reduced
by Famine, they were forced to a Surrender. The _Romans_ gave no
Quarter to the Soldiers, nor the principal Men of the City. The whole
Town, with all its stately Walls in which it glory’d, was levelled with
the Ground; and all its _Theatres_ and _Bagnio’s_ were demolish’d even
to the small Compass of a single Street. _Severus_ was highly pleased
with so noble a Conquest. He took away the Freedom of the City, and
having deprived it of the Dignity of a Commonwealth, he confiscated
the Goods of the Inhabitants; and afterwards making it tributary, he
gave it, with all the neighbouring Countrey, into the Hands of the
_Perinthians_. Entering the City afterwards, and seeing the Inhabitants
coming to meet him, with Olive-branches in their Hands begging Quarter,
and excusing themselves for making so long a Defence, he forbore the
Slaughter; yet left the _Perinthians_ in the Possession of the Town,
allowing them nevertheless a Theatre, gave Orders for building them a
_Portico_ for Hunting, and a _Hippodrom_, to which he adjoin’d some
_Bagnio’s_, which he built near the Temple of _Jupiter_, who was called
_Zeuxippus_. He also rebuilt the _Strategium_; and all the Works that
were begun by _Severus_ in his Life-time, were finish’d by his Son
_Antoninus_.
CHAP. II.
_Of the Extent of Old_ Byzantium.
The present Inhabitants of _Constantinople_ tell you, that Old
_Byzantium_ stood within the Compass of the first Hill in the Imperial
Precinct, where the _Grand Seignor’s Seraglio_ now stands: but I
am of Opinion, from what follows it will appear, that it was of a
larger Extent. Our modern Writers describe its Situation thus; that
it began at the Wall of the Citadel, stretched itself to the Tower of
_Eugenius_, and that it rose gradually up to the _Strategium_, the
_Bagnio_ of _Achilles_, and the _Urbicion_. From thence it pass’d on
to the _Chalcopratia_, and the _Miliarium Aureum_, where there was
another _Urbicion_ of the _Byzantians_: Thence it lengthen’d to the
Pillars of _Zonarius_, from whence, after a gentle Descent, it winded
round by the _Manganæ_ and the _Bagnio’s_ of _Arcadius_, up to the
_Acropolis_. I am inclinable to credit all these Writers, excepting
only _Eustathius_, who tells us, that the _Athenians_ made use of
_Byzantium_, a small City, to keep their Treasure in. But _Zosimus_, a
more ancient Historian, describes _Byzantium_ after this Manner: _It
was seated_, says he, _on a Hill, which took up part of the_ Isthmus,
_and was bounded by a Bay called_ Cheras, _and the_ Propontis. _At
the End of the_ Portico’s _built by_ Severus _the Emperor, it had a
Gate set up, upon his Reconciliation with the Inhabitants, for giving
Protection to_ Niger _his Enemy. The Wall of_ Byzantium _extended
itself from the Eastern Part of the City to the Temple of_ Venus, _and
the Sea over-against_ Chrysopolis: _from the North it descended to
the Dock, and so onward to the Sea, which faces the_ Black Sea, _and
through which you sail into it_. This, says he, was the ancient Extent
of the City; but _Dionysius_, a more ancient Writer than _Zosimus_, as
appears by his Account, which was written before its Destruction by
_Severus_, tells us, that _Byzantium_ contain’d in Compass at least
forty Furlongs, which is a much greater Extent than the preceding
Writers reported it. _Herodian_ informs us, that _Byzantium_, in the
Time of _Severus_, was the greatest City in all _Thrace_.
CHAP. III.
_Of the Rebuilding of_ Byzantium _by_ Constantine the Great, _and the
Largeness of it in his Time_.
It is recorded by _Zonaras_, that _Constantine_ being inclinable
to build a City, and to give it his own Name, at first pitch’d
upon _Sardicus_ a Field of _Asia_; afterwards, upon the Promontory
_Sigeum_, and last of all upon _Chalcedon_ and _Byzantium_, for that
Purpose. _Georgius Cedrinus_ is of Opinion, that he first pitch’d
upon _Thessalonica_, and after he had lived there two Years, being
wonderfully taken with the Delightfulness of the Place, he built
the most magnificent Temples, _Bagnio’s_ and _Aqueducts_; but being
interrupted in his great Designs by the Plague which raged there, he
was obliged to leave it, and passing away for _Chalcedon_, (formerly
overthrown by the _Persians_, but then upon rebuilding) he was directed
by the Eagles frequently carrying the small Stones of the Workmen
from thence to _Byzantium_, where _Constantinople_ ought to be built.
_Zonaras_ is of the same Opinion; and only differs as to the Story
of the Stones, and says, that they were small Ropes which they used
in Building. But this seems to be a Fable taken out of _Dionysius_ a
_Byzantian_ Writer, who tells us, that _Byzas_ had been the Founder of
_Byzantium_, in a Place call’d _Semystra_, seated at the Mouth of the
Rivers _Cydarus_ and _Barbysa_, had not a Crow, by snatching a Piece
of the Sacrifice out of the Flames, and carrying it to a Promontory of
the _Bosporus_, directed _Byzas_ to found _Byzantium_ in that Place.
But _Constantine_ does not seem to me to have been so oversighted as
were the ancient _Chalcedonians_, for which they stand recorded in
the Histories of all Ages. Nay, ’tis distinguishable by any Man of
a tolerable Judgment, that _Byzantium_ was a much more commodious
Situation for the _Roman_ Empire than that of _Chalcedon_. The far
more ancient Historians, among whom are _Sozomen_ of _Salamis_ and
_Zosimus_, who wrote in the Reign of _Theodosius the Less_, judged
more rationally on this Occasion. They tell us, without taking any
Notice of _Sardica_, _Thessalonica_ or _Chalcedon_, that _Constantine_
debating with himself, where he might build a City, and call it by
his own Name, equal in Glory and Magnificence to that of _Rome_, had
found out a convenient Situation for that Purpose, between old _Troy_
and the _Hellespont_; that he had lay’d the Foundations, and raised
part of the Wall to a considerable Height, which is to be seen at this
Day on the Promontory _Sigeum_, which _Pliny_ calls _Ajantium_; because
the Sepulchre of _Ajax_, which was in that Place, hung over the Chops
of the _Hellespont_: They tell you farther, that anciently some Ships
were station’d there, and that the _Grecians_, when at War with the
_Trojans_, pitch’d their Tents in that Place: That _Constantine_
afterwards came into an Opinion, that _Byzantium_ was a properer
Situation; that three hundred and sixty two Years after the Reign of
_Augustus_, he rebuilt, enlarged and fortified it with great and strong
Walls, and by an Edict engraven on a Stone Pillar, and publickly fix’d
up in the _Strategium_, near his own _Equestrian_ Statue, order’d it
to be called _Nova Roma Constantinopolitana_. Upon a Computation made,
that the Natives were not a sufficient Number to people the City, he
built several fine Houses in and about the _Forums_, of which he made a
Present to the Senators and other Men of Quality, which he brought with
him from _Rome_ and other Nations. He built also several _Forums_, some
as an Ornament, others for the Service of the City. The _Hippodrom_ he
beautify’d with Temples, Fountains, _Portico’s_, and a Senate-House,
and allow’d its Members equal Honours and Privileges with those of
_Rome_. He also built himself a Palace, little inferior to the Royal
one at _Rome_. In short, he was so ambitious to make it rival _Rome_
itself in all its Grandeur and Magnificence, that at length, as
_Sozomen_ assures us, it far surpassed it, both in the Number of its
Inhabitants, and its Affluence of all Kinds. _Eunapius_ a _Sardian_, no
mean Writer, nay though an Enemy to _Constantine_, describes the vast
Extent of _Constantinople_, in these Words: _Constantinople_, says he,
_formerly called_ Byzantium, _allow’d the ancient_ Athenians _a Liberty
of importing Corn in great Quantities; but at present not all the Ships
of Burthen from_ Ægypt, Asia, Syria, Phœnicia, _and many other Nations,
can import a Quantity sufficient for the Support of those People, whom_
Constantine, _by unpeopling other Cities, has transported thither_.
_Zosimus_ also, though otherwise no very good Friend to _Constantine_
on the score of his Religion, yet frankly owns, that he wonderfully
enlarged it; and that the _Isthmus_ was enclosed by a Wall from Sea
to Sea, to the Distance of fifteen Furlongs beyond the Walls of old
_Byzantium_. But to what Extent soever _Constantine_ might enlarge its
Bounds, yet the Emperors who succeeded him have extended them farther,
and have enclosed the City with much wider Walls than those built by
_Constantine_, and permitted them to build so closely one House to
another, and that even in their Market Places, that they could not
walk the Streets without Danger, they were so crowded with Men and
Cattle. Upon this Account it was, that a great part of the Sea which
runs round the City was in some Places dry’d up, where by fixing Posts
in a circular Manner, and building Houses upon them, they made their
City large enough for the Reception of an infinite Multitude of People.
Thus does _Zosimus_ express himself as to the vast Extent of this
City, as it stood in the Time either of _Arcadius_ or _Theodosius_.
_Agathius_ says, that in the Time of _Justinian_ the Buildings were
so close and crowded together, that it was very difficult to see the
Sky by looking through the Tops of them. The large Compass of this
City before _Justinian_’s Time, we may in some measure collect from
an _ancient Description of the City_, by an unknown but seemingly a
very faithful Writer. He assures us, that the Length of the City from
the _Porta Aurea_ to the Sea Shore in a direct Line, was fourteen
thousand and seventy five Feet, and that it was six thousand one
hundred and fifty Feet in Breadth. And yet we cannot collect plainly
from _Procopius_, that in the Reign of _Justinian_ the _Blachernæ_
were enclosed within the Walls, although before his Time the City was
enlarged by _Theodosius the Less_, who as _Zonaras_ and others write,
gave Orders to _Cyrus_ the Governour of the City for that Purpose. This
Man, with great Diligence and wonderful Dispatch, built a Wall over the
Continent from Sea to Sea, in sixty Days. The Inhabitants astonish’d
that so immense a Work should be finish’d in so small a Time, cry’d out
in a publick manner in the Theatre, in the Presence of _Theodosius_ the
Emperor, _Constantine built this City, but_ Cyrus _rebuilt it_. This
drew on him the Envy of his Prince, and render’d him suspected; so that
being shaved by the Command of _Theodosius_, against his Inclinations,
he was constituted Bishop of _Smyrna_. The following Inscriptions
made to _Constantinus_, and carv’d over the Gate of _Xylocerum_ and
_Rhegium_, take Notice of him in these Verses.
Over the Gate of _Xylocerum_ (_Xylocercum_ or _Xylocricum_) in
_Byzantium_, thus:
_These Walls by_ Theodosius’ _Royal Will,
And_ Constantinus _Prefect of the East,
In sixty Days, surprizing Speed! were built_.
Over the Gate of _Rhegium_ is this Inscription:
_Great_ Constantinus, _Prefect of the East,
In sixty Days this stately Building finish’d_.
The Reason why _Constantine_ order’d _Byzantium_ to be call’d _New
Rome_, or _Queen_ of the _Roman Empire_, is mention’d by _Sozomen_
and others; namely, that God appear’d by Night to _Constantine_, and
advised him to build a City at _Byzantium_ worthy his own Name. Some
say, that as _Julius Cæsar_, upon a Plot form’d against him, judg’d it
necessary to remove to _Alexandria_ or _Troy_, stripping _Italy_ at
the same time of every thing that was valuable, and carrying off all
the Riches of the _Roman_ Empire, leaving the Administration in the
Hands of his Friends; so it is said of _Constantine_, that perceiving
himself to be obnoxious to the People of _Rome_, having drain’d the
City of all its Wealth, went over at first to _Troy_, and afterwards
to _Byzantium_. _Zosimus_, an implacable Enemy to the Christian Name,
alledges an execrable Piece of Villany, as the Cause of his Removal.
_Constantine_, says he, _when he had murder’d_ Crispus, _and had
been guilty of other flagrant Crimes, desiring of the Priests an
Expiation for them, their Answer was, That his Offences were so many
and enormous, that they knew not which way to atone for them; telling
him at the same time, that there was a certain_ Ægyptian _who came
from_ Spain _to_ Rome; _who, if he had an Opportunity of speaking to
him, could procure him an Expiation, if he would establish in his
Dominions this Belief of the_ Christians, _namely, That Men of the
most profligate Lives, immediately upon their Repentance, obtain’d
Remission of Sins_. Constantine _readily closed with this Offer, and
his Sins were pardon’d. At the Approach of the Festival, on which it
was usual with him and his Army to go up to the Capitol, to perform
the customary Rites of their Religion_; Constantine _fearful to be
present at that Solemnity, as being warn’d to the contrary by a Dream,
which was sent him from the_ Ægyptian, _and not attending the holy
Sacrifice, highly disgusted the Senate, and the whole Body of the
People of_ Rome. _But unable to bear the Curses and Scandal they threw
upon him on that Account, he went in Search of some Place or other
equally famous with_ Rome, _where he might build him a Palace, and
which he might make the Seat of the_ Roman _Empire, and that at last he
had discovered a Place between_ Troas _and Old_ Ilium, _fit for that
Purpose; and that there he built him a Palace, laid the Foundations of
a City, and raised part of a Wall for its Defence: But that afterwards
disapproving the Situation, he left his Works unfinish’d, and settled
at_ Byzantium; _and being wonderfully taken with the Agreeableness of
the Place, he judged it in all respects to be very commodious for
an Imperial Seat_. Thus far _Zosimus_, a great Favourite of _Julian_
the Apostate, and an inveterate Enemy to _Constantine_ on the account
of his Religion; to whose Sentiments I have so perfect an Aversion,
that I cannot give the least Credit to those Enormities he charges
him with, and of which he had the greatest Abhorrence, as being a
Prince of remarkable Clemency and Goodness, which I am capable of
proving abundantly, but that it would prove too great a Digression
in the present History. The Truth of it is, that _Sozomen_ and
_Evagrius_ both have sufficiently refuted these malicious Reflections.
In these Calumnies, I say, I entirely differ from _Zosimus_, yet in
his Description of the Extent, and Compass of the City, I am wholly
in his Opinion; who, though an Enemy to _Constantine_, yet is forced
to acknowledge him to have built so large, so noble, so magnificent
a City. I am the more induced to give Credit to his History in this
Respect, because he lived many Ages nearer to the Time of _Constantine_
than our modern _Monks_, who, in the Books they have written of
_Constantinople_, give the following Account of it; namely, that
_Constantine_ built a Wall from the Tower of _Eugenius_ (which was the
Boundary of old _Byzantium_) to St. _Anthony_’s Church, and the Church
of the _Blessed Virgin_, call’d _Rabdon_, quite up to the _Exacionion_;
and that at a Mile’s Distance, it passed on to the old Gates of the
Church of St. _John_ the _Baptist_, stretching itself farther to the
Cistern of _Bonus_, from whence it extended itself to the _Armation_,
and so winded round to St. _Anthony_’s Church again. I should give my
self the Trouble to examine this Account, but that I know the Authors
are so fabulous, that they are no ways to be depended upon. But this I
look upon to be an intolerable Blunder, that they place the Church of
St. _John Baptist_ within the Walls built by _Constantine_, whereas for
many Years after his Death it continued without the City: Of which, and
many other Errors, I shall take Notice in the following History.
CHAP. IV.
_Of the present Figure, Compass, Length and Breadth of_
Constantinople.
The Figure of _Constantinople_ is triangular, the Base of which is
that Part of it which lies Westward: The top Angle points to the East,
where the _Peninsula_ begins. But both the Sides of this Triangle are
not equal; for that Side which lies westward winds round the Angle
of the Bay in the Figure of a Half-Moon. At a great Distance from
thence, it winds about again from North to South. But the South Side
of this Triangle veers about to such a Breadth, that if you should
draw a strait Line from one Angle of it to the other, it would cut off
a Creek, which, in the Middle of it, is at least a quarter of a Mile
over. But that Side which faces the North, and is call’d _Ceras_, the
Bay or Horn, should you draw a strait Line over it from one Angle to
another, it would cut off not only the whole Bay, but also a part of
_Galata_. For this Side inflects inwards in such a manner, that from
each Point it circulates in the Form of a Bow, having two smaller
Windings of the same Figure in the Middle of it, but lies inwardly into
the Continent so far, that the two Horns or Ends of the Bow, which
includes them, no ways intercept the Prospect of the Angles of the
larger Arch. ’Tis upon this Account that _Constantinople_ may rather
seem to be of a triarcular, than a triangular Figure. For right Angles
never project beyond their Sides, nor do they inflect inwards. But all
semicircular Figures are in a manner both convex and concave also. So
that if these three Angles, so far as they project beyond the main
Body of the City, were divided from it, _Constantinople_ would form a
square oblong Figure, little more than a Mile broad, and almost three
times as long. But be that as it will, all are of Opinion, that this
City ought to be look’d upon to be of a triangular Figure, because
it has three Sides; one of which that faces the _Propontis_, and the
other on the side of the _Thracian_ Continent, are of an equal Length;
the third, adjoining to the Bay, is about a Mile shorter than the
other two. This City is computed to be near thirteen Miles in Compass,
although _Laonicus Chalcondylus_, in his History of the _Ottomans_,
assures us, that _Constantinople_ contain’d in Compass an hundred and
eleven Furlongs; the Length of it, extending itself over the Promontory
with six Hills, is no more than thirty Furlongs; but if the Figure
of it was an equilateral Triangle, it would not be much above nine
Miles in Circumference; and could we suppose its hilly Situation to
be widen’d into one large Plain, yet then it would not be so large
in Compass as the Inhabitants generally reckon it, _viz._ eighteen
Miles. It is observable, that _Constantinople_ does not contain more
Bays of Building, as it is situate upon Hills, than it would if it
were built upon a Plain; because you cannot so conveniently build upon
a Declivity, as you can upon a Level. Nor does the Reason equally
hold good, as to the Number of its Houses, and the Number of its
Inhabitants. For _Constantinople_ can contain more Men as it is seated
upon Hills, than it could if it were seated on a Plain. The Breadth of
this City varies in several Places. From the East to the Middle of it,
’tis at least a Mile in Breadth, but in no Place broader than a Mile
and a half. It divides itself afterwards into two Branches, where ’tis
almost as broad as ’tis long. I can compare it, as to its Figure, to
nothing more properly than to an Eagle stretching out his Wings, and
looking obliquely to the left, upon whose Beak stands the first Hill,
where is the _Grand Seignor’s_ Palace. In his Eye stands the Church of
St. _Sophia_; on the lower part of the Head is the _Hippodrom_; upon
his Neck are the second and third Hills, and the remaining part of the
City fill up his Wings, and his whole Body.
CHAP. V.
_A general Description of_ Constantinople.
Constantinople takes up in Compass the whole _Peninsula_, which
contains seven Hills, of which the eastern Angle of the City
includes one, having its Rise at the Promontory, which _Pliny_ calls
_Chrysoceras_, and _Dionysius_ a _Byzantian_, _Bosporium_. The first
Hill is divided from the second by a broad Valley; the Promontory of
_Bosporium_ contains the other six, extending itself from the Entrance
of the _Peninsula_ on the East, full West with a continued Ridge, but
somewhat convex’d, and hangs over the Bay. Six Hills and five Valleys
shoot from the right Side of it, and ’tis divided only by the third and
fifth Valleys on the left Side of it, which is all upon the Descent,
and has only some small Hills and Vales, which are more steep than
the Hills themselves. It has also two Windings which take their Rise
from the Top of the first Hill, from whence it ascends by Degrees
almost to another Winding, which begins from the Top of the third
Hill, where sinking into a gentle Descent, it admits the Valley, which
lies between the third and the fourth Hill. From thence it rises again
with a moderate Ascent, and continues upon a Level westward almost
to the _Urbicion_, where it rises again. The Plains adjoining to the
Promontory differ as to their Level. Those that divide the Promontory
at the Top, and those at the Foot of it, are very uneven in many
Places. The Plain at the Top of the first Hill is seven hundred Paces
in Length, and two hundred in Breadth. Shooting hence, it rises almost
insensibly to the Top of the second Hill, where ’tis five hundred
Paces in Breadth, and is all upon the Descent to the Top of that Hill,
where the second Valley, which is also shelving and very narrow, takes
its Rise. On the third Hill the Plain is above six hundred Paces in
Breadth, but somewhat more upon the Level at the Entrance of the third
Valley, which is six hundred Paces broad. From hence you rise by a
gentle Ascent to the Plain on the Top of the fourth Hill, which is not
above two hundred Paces wide. On the fifth Hill it dilates itself to
the Breadth of seven hundred Paces. On the Hill, from whence the fifth
Valley takes its Rise, ’tis more narrow; and on the sixth Hill ’tis a
little upon the Ascent again. As to the Plain, which extends itself
between the Sea and the Bottom of the _Promontory_, that also is not so
even in some Places as it is in others; for it is narrower under the
Hills, in the Vales ’tis half as wide again. For winding itself from
the _Promontory_, where it begins, over three Valleys, it is widen’d
at that Distance into the Breadth of a thousand Paces, though at the
Foot of the Hills it is not above an Acre, or a hundred and twenty Foot
in Breadth, except at the Bottom of the third and fifth Hills, where
’tis very narrow, but extends itself over the fourth Valley both in
Length and Breadth to a great Degree. At the Foot of the sixth Hill
it contracts itself again, except at the Foot of two lesser Hills,
situated behind the first and second Hills; one of which projects
almost to the Sea, the other is at no great Distance from it. But to
describe _Constantinople_ in a more easy and comprehensive Manner, I
will give the Reader a particular Account of all its Hills and Vales,
which indeed make a very lovely and agreeable Prospect. For the six
Hills which shoot from the _Promontory_, (and which for their Likeness
you might call Brothers) stand in so regular an Order, that neither
of them intercepts the Prospect of the other; so that as you sail up
the Bay, you see them all hanging over it in such a manner, that quite
round the City you see before you both Sides of every one of them. The
first of these Hills jets out to the East, and bounds the Bay; the
second and third lie more inward to the South; the others lie more open
to the North, so that at one View you have a full Prospect of them.
The first lies lower than the second; the second than the third; the
fourth, fifth and sixth are in some Places higher, in others somewhat
lower than the third, which you may discover by the Level of the
Aqueduct. That the first Hill is lower than the third and fourth, may
be discover’d by the Tower which supports the Aqueduct, by which the
Water is raised into the Air above fifty Foot high. To make this more
intelligible, I will divide the City, as to the Length of it, from the
Land’s Point on the Shore of the _Bosporus_, to the Walls on the Neck
of the _Isthmus_, and consider the Breadth of it, as it widens from
the _Propontis_ to the Bay called _Ceras_. The Reason why I divide the
City, as to its Breadth, into six Parts, is the natural Situation of
the _Promontory_, which itself is divided into six Hills, with Valleys
running between them. It was no great Difficulty to distinguish the
_Roman_ Hills, because they were entirely disjoin’d by Valleys; but
’tis not so easy to distinguish those of _Constantinople_, because they
are conjoin’d at Top; and besides, the Backs of them do not project
in so mountainous a manner as they do in the Front; so that I cannot
better describe them, than by calling them a continued Ridge of Hills,
divided each of them with Valleys. And therefore to proceed regularly,
I shall first give the Reader a Description of the right Side of the
_Promontory_, with its Hills and Vales, and then take Notice of the
left Side of it, which stands behind them.
CHAP. VI.
_Of the Situation of all the Parts of the City describ’d._
The first Part of the Breadth of the _Promontory_ is the Front of it,
which opening to the Distance of a thousand Paces Eastwards adjoins to
the Chaps of the _Bosporus_. For this Sea winds round the Back of the
_Promontory_ in such a Manner, that from the Point where the _Bosporus_
is divided, to the Bay called _Ceras_, and the Land’s Point of that
Sea, it extends itself from North to South to the Distance of fourteen
Furlongs; and from thence to a farther Distance of four Furlongs, it
winds round from the South-east to the South-South-west, even to the
Mouth of the _Propontis_, which joining with the _Bosporus_, winds
round the City to South-west, to the Distance of two Miles more. This
Side of the Hill is bounded at the Bottom of it with a Plain of the
same Breadth with itself, which is two hundred Paces. There rise upon
the Plain some lesser Hills, which are not above four hundred Paces
in Height. On the Top of the left Side of these Hills stands the
_Hippodrom_; on the right Side, which faces the South-west, is the
Palace of the _Grand Seignor_. I might not improperly call it the Front
of the _Promontory_, as being almost of an equal Ascent in all its
Parts, having a Plain running along it, of an equal Length with itself;
besides, it adjoins to the first Hill: I say, for these Reasons I might
call it a part of the first Hill; but to understand it more distinctly,
I shall treat of it by itself.
CHAP. VII.
_Of the first Hill, of the Palace of the Grand Seignor, of the Church
of St._ Sophia, _and the_ Hippodrom.
The first Hill, extending itself from the South-east to the South-west,
opens at the Entrance of it to the Breadth of thirty Paces; from
thence it widens gradually, and so on, till at last ’tis almost as
broad as ’tis long. It rises at the Nook of the _Isthmus_, which joins
the _Peninsula_ to the Continent. It projects itself in the Form of
a Cymetar, or a Hawk’s Beak, and almost divides the Straits of the
_Bosporus_, and the Bay called _Ceras_. The whole Hill projects beyond
the others almost to the Mouth of the Bay. ’Tis all upon a Descent,
except the Top of it, where there’s a Plain which joins to the Plain
of the _Promontory_. The lesser Eminences which stand upon it, and
which face the East and the North, have a moderate Descent, others of
them are more steep, so that in some Places you are obliged to climb
them by Steps, but the tallest of them is not above four hundred Paces
high. The Plain, at the Foot of this Hill, is very different. The
Eastern Part of it is much widen’d by the Sea Shore, which jets out
in a semicircular Manner. The Breadth of the South-east and northern
Part of it is encreased by the Valley, which divides the first from the
second Hill. The Plain on the Top of the Hill is about seven hundred
Paces in Length. This Hill is not only fortified by Nature, as being
encompassed on the East by the _Bosporus_, on the North by the Bay
of _Ceras_, and on the West by a cool Valley; but ’tis also inclosed
within the Walls of the _Seraglio_, which are guarded with numberless
Ramparts and Towers, which are equal in Strength to the Walls of the
City. Towards the Foot of the Hill, and the Plain near the Sea, lie
the Gardens of the _Grand Seignor_. The Imperial Palace, which is
partly situate on the Top of the Hill, and partly on the Eminences
below it, affords almost an unmeasurable Prospect, both by Sea and
Land. In this Plain there are two Imperial _Areas_ or Courts; the first
of these Courts is seven hundred Paces long, and two hundred broad.
You pass through this into another inner Court, which is a Quadrangle
two hundred Paces long, and has round it a magnificent _Portico_,
supported with a Multitude of fine Marble Pillars curiously variegated.
In the Middle of the Court there’s a fine shady Walk of _Plane_ and
_Cypress-Trees_ for the Lawyers, and in the North Angle of the City
is the _Forum Judiciale_, which the _Ottomans_ call their _Divan_.
On the South-east Side of a large Court stands the magnificent and
stately Palace of the _Grand Seignor_, on the North Side of which are
built many Imperial _Bagnio’s_, and Kitchens with eight arch’d Roofs,
rising like a _Cupola_, in an hemispherical Manner; each of these
_Cupola’s_ representing the Figure of a little House, is nothing else
but a Chimney with Windows, light at Top, made in the Likeness of a
Lantern. There is a two-leav’d Iron Gate which lets you into the first
Court, the Leaves of it, when opened, stand at twenty Paces Distance.
The Porters or _Capoochees_ stand always upon Duty at these Gates.
Just above them the Hill rises up to a smooth Level with the Ridge of
the _Promontory_. The Porch or Gate-house is lined on each Side with
glittering Armour, and shines, as do also the Jambs of the Gate with
rich Marble. Over the Porch there rises a square Building cover’d
with Lead, as are all the other Edifices of the Palace. There’s a
Passage out of the first Court through another two-leav’d Gate into the
second inner Court. This is the Station of the _Drudging Porters_. The
Gate-house here also blazes with refulgent Arms. This Gate, without
side of it, has nothing like a Porch, though within side it has. ’Tis
supported with ten Pillars of different Kinds of Marble; the Roof of it
proudly glitters with Gold, and is beautify’d with the most rich and
lively Colours of _Persian_ Work. At the third Gate, where the Entrance
opens into the _Seraglio_, there are other Porters or _Capoochees_
attending. These are under the Command of the _Capoochee-Basha_, or
Captain of the Porters, who is also Chamberlain to the _Grand Seignor_.
No body is suffer’d to enter the Palace without his Permission, but the
Servants and Officers of the Houshold, unless it be his Noblemen, who
while he is sitting near the Door of the _Seraglio_, may freely enter
to pay their Homage to him. All Ambassadors, when introduced into his
Presence, are allow’d to kiss his Hand, who receives them sitting upon
a low Couch, but curiously embroider’d, in a little Apartment built
with Marble, adorn’d with Gold and Silver, and sparkling with Diamonds
and precious Stones. This Room of State is incircled with a _Portico_,
which is supported with Pillars of the finest Marble, the Capitals and
Pedestals of which are all gilded. Besides these I have mention’d,
there are many other Gates round the _Seraglio_, through which none
are admitted, but such as are in the highest Favour with the Emperour.
If I mistake not, I counted twelve, which were all Iron-work; seven of
them were near the City; two of them, through which they carried their
Hay to the _Seraglio_, were near the Sea; on the Sea Side there were
five more: The first of these stands to the North of the _Seraglio_,
towards the Bay; the second stands upon the Ridge of a Hill: ’Tis
very large, has a Porch with an arch’d Roof before it, is gilded, and
adorn’d in a surprizing manner with _Persian_ Paintings, supported with
Pillars of _Ophitick_ Marble, and looks into the _Bosporus_. At some
Distance Eastward there is another Gate facing _Chalcedon_. Just before
it the Vessels are moor’d, in which the _Grand Seignor_ sails to some
distant Shore, when he goes a hunting, or is inclined to divert himself
in his Gardens. The fourth Gate stands South-east near the Ruins of
a _Christian_ Church, some Tokens of which are still remaining in a
Wall, to which the _Greeks_ to this Day, by their frequent Visits,
continue to pay a kind of devotional Reverence. Beyond this there is a
fifth Port or Gate, where is built a Room, though it is only rafter’d,
whence you may have the Diversion of seeing the Fish catch’d; as it
is also a kind of Repository, where the _Grand Seignor’s_ Fishermen
lay up their Tackle. I would observe by the By, that though all the
Hills of _Constantinople_ afford a very pleasing Prospect, yet there is
none which entertains you with such peculiar Delectation as the first
Hill, where the _Sultan_ lives in a licentious and luxurious manner.
He has before him, whether he is walking in his Gardens, or in his
Chambers of the _Seraglio_, a full View of the _Bosporus_ and both its
Shores, which are green, and flourishing with Woods belonging to the
neighbouring Farms. On the right Hand he beholds a spacious Field of
_Chalcedon_, cover’d with his own Gardens; he sees the _Propontis_,
Islands without Number, and the woody Mountains of _Asia_. If he looks
at an immense Distance, behind him he beholds the _Olympus_ always
cloath’d in Snow. If he takes a shorter Prospect, he views before
him the Wonders of his own City, the Church of St. _Sophia_ and the
_Hippodrom_. If he casts his Eyes to the left Hand, he beholds the
seven Hills on which the City is seated, and more remotely, he looks
round the unmeasurable spacious Fields of _Thracia_. If he extends
his Prospect over the Seas, he views a moving Scene of Ships passing
and repassing before him; some sailing from the _Hellespont_, or the
_Black Sea_, others again coming into his Port from all the Coasts
of the _Propontis_, while other Vessels at the same time are sailing
up and down the Bay of _Ceras_, where there are also abundance of
Wherries and small Boats always oaring from Side to Side. And if he
looks below him, he has the agreeable Pleasure of beholding the three
Sides of the first Hill, dressed with Trees, Flowers and Plants of
all Kinds. But he has not only a fine Prospect from the Palace, but
is entertain’d with several delightful _Visto’s_ from the Top of the
Gardens rising on the Hills. If he has an Inclination to take a View
of his _Seraglio_, from that Point of Land which projects so far into
the Sea, and which, as I observ’d, divided the _Bosporus_; here he
beholds it in all its Glory, strengthen’d with large Pillars of Marble,
and fann’d with gentle refreshing Breezes, where he often sits with
small Osier Lattices before him; so that, like another _Gyges_, he
discerns all that sail near him, though he himself is visible to none:
And if at any time he is weary of the Company of his Domesticks, he
can divert himself with the ridiculous Drollery of the Watermen, when
fixing their Oars and Boat-poles to the Shore, they tug against the
violent Stream of the _Bosporus_, which is much more rapid than the
_Rhone_. Without the _Seraglio_ stands the Church of St. _Sophia_,
which is about seventy Paces distant from the Gate of the first Court.
’Tis situate on the Brow of the first Hill, upon an Eminence that
hangs over the Garden of the first Valley: From thence you ascend
by Stone Steps to the Gate of the _Seraglio_, and the Church of St.
_Sophia_, which from the South-east falls with so easy a Descent, that
it almost imperceptibly terminates on a Plain both above and below it.
In short, all the Descents from the Imperial Palace to the _Hippodrom_,
are moderate and gentle. South-west of the Church of St. _Sophia_, a
Plain extends itself to the End of the _Hippodrom_, which is above
seven hundred Paces long. The _Hippodrom_ is more than two Furlongs in
Length, and one Furlong in Breadth. It stands upon a perfect Level; but
this is more to be ascribed to Industry, than its natural Situation.
The Middle Part of it, stretching as far as the _Propontis_, on three
Sides of it, is a shelving Ground. On the East it falls with a small
Declivity, on the West ’tis more upon the Descent, on the Side of the
_Propontis_ ’tis directly perpendicular to the Depth, more or less, of
fifty Foot. The whole Front of the _Hippodrom_ is built upon Arches,
(which makes it stand upon a Level) and entertains the Spectator with a
very delectable Prospect of the _Propontis_, so that you may not only
see Men sailing to and fro before you, but may also see the Dolphins
frequently tumbling about the Waters. The Steps on the North Side of
the _Hippodrom_, which remained there but a few Years since, were
demolished by _Abraham_ the _Bassa_, and were used in building his own
House. Between the _Hippodrom_ and the _Propontis_ there stretches a
Plain, which widens to the Breadth of four hundred Paces, where the
Churches of _Bacchus_ and _Sergius_ anciently stood; of both which I
shall take Notice in the following History. Below the _Hippodrom_, to
the South, is the Gate call’d _Porta Leonis_, which is situate without
the City, upon the Ruins of the Palace of _Leo Macellus_; the Windows
of which, of antique Workmanship, are still remaining in the Walls. The
Palace was built upon a Hill adjoining to the Sea, which was about a
hundred Paces high.
CHAP. VIII.
_Of the first Valley._
From the uppermost Plain of the _Promontory_, on which, as I observed,
stood the Church of St. _Sophia_ and the _Hippodrom_, by an easy Ascent
of a thousand Paces, you climb the Ridge of the second Hill up to the
_Porphyry_ Pillar, erected on the Top of the second Hill, which is
bounded on the East by the first Valley, which divides the first from
the second Hill. It rises at the Plain of St. _Sophia_, and extends
itself from South to North. This Valley represents exactly the Figure
of the Letter V; one of whose Sides extends itself full East, the other
North. Thro’ the Middle of it runs the Wall, which divides the _Grand
Seignor_’s Palace from the rest of the City. The lowermost Plain of
the _Promontory_ extends itself in Length and Breadth so far into this
Valley, that from the Bay to the Church of St. _Sophia_, you may walk
a thousand Paces almost upon the Level. From the Entrance of it on the
Sea Side, ’tis all a plain Ground to the Length of five hundred Paces;
afterwards winding itself into this Vale, it rises with a small Ascent,
which is more easily perceivable by a gentle Fall of the Water, than by
the Eye or Foot. At the Beginning of it ’tis somewhat wide, afterwards
’tis narrower, and at the End of it ’tis straighten’d into two lesser
Valleys; one of which, near to the Church of St. _Sophia_, is four
hundred Paces long. It rises gradually, and is so very narrow, that the
publick Way takes up the whole Breadth of it.
CHAP. IX.
_Of the second Hill._
The Ridge of the _Promontory_ rising a little higher, and the two
Valleys adjoining to it, make the second Hill. The first Valley
divides, at East, the first from the second Hill; the other Valley,
Westward, divides the second from the third. On the North ’tis bounded
by a Plain on the Sea Shore. The Ridge of the _Promontory_ extends from
South to North to the Distance of one thousand Paces in Length, and
four hundred in Breadth. The different Breadth of the Vales varies
the Breadth of the whole Hill. For where the Valleys which bound the
Sides of it at the Top are more contracted, the Hill widens, and at
the Foot of the Hill, where they are much wider, the Hill is less.
The lesser Hills which stand upon it, extend its Length, two of which
hang over the Bay. Its Height varies according to the different Height
of the three Clifts, or small Hills which rise upon it. For the Clift
lying to the South-east, rises moderately, from the lowest part of the
Valley to the Top of the Hill, to the Height of about a thousand Paces;
afterwards, as the Valley widens, it grows less, and is rendered more
steep by two small Valleys (branching out of the great Valley) which
indeed are somewhat upon the Descent, but not above a hundred Paces
high. The different Heights of the Clifts which hang over the Bay, may
be best discover’d by considering the different Heights of the five
_publick Ways_, which reach from the Ridge to the Foot of the Hill.
The first of these Ways rises to the Height of five hundred Paces, two
hundred of which from the Foot of the Hill are very easy of Ascent, the
other three hundred are very steep. The second _Road_ is six hundred
Paces high, a hundred of which rise through the lowest of the small
Valleys by a gentle Ascent, the next hundred are almost perpendicular,
so that you must climb them by Steps; the other four hundred rise
gradually to the Top of the Hill, which is sixty Paces in Breadth. This
Hill, on the Ridge of it, shoots Southward to the Distance of a hundred
and fifty Paces, quite from the Church of St. _Sophia_ to the _Porphyry
Pillar_. The other three _publick Ways_, from the Bottom of the Hill,
are for the first hundred Paces upon a gentle Rise, the next two
hundred are a mighty Declivity, so that you are obliged to ascend them
by Windings and Turnings; the remaining five hundred, up to the Plain
upon the Hill, rise moderately. I would observe farther, that on the
Side of the Clifts which project over the Bay, two small Hills jetted
out, one to the North, and the other to the East; both which uniting
form a little Valley, which is bounded on the East by a Hill which
rises eighty Paces in Height, and has in some Places very agreeable
Descents. This is the Reason that most part of the lesser Clifts, which
bear upon this Hill, stand to the East, and that the Side of the Hill
which looks Westward, is in some Parts of it more shelving than in
other: For its Eminencies falling into the lowest Plain in the Valley,
to the Length of three hundred Paces, from the Foot of the Hill up to
the Middle of it, are almost perpendicular, and from the Middle to the
Top they slope but little. As for those Hills which project over the
Head of the Valley, they are not above two hundred Paces high, often
of a different Ascent: For as the Valley rises, the Clifts seem lower.
Indeed all the lesser Clifts of this Hill have a double Descent; one
length-ways, and the other broad-ways: For those of them which stand
East and West are seated in such a manner, that they also lye to the
North. In short, all the Sides of this Hill, in the most steep Ascents
of them, are not above a Furlong in Height; in other Places they fall
into a moderate Declivity, and at the Bottom of them they gradually
enlarge themselves into a Plain. The upper Clifts at the Top of them
are half shelving, and half upon the Plain. The Plain adjoining to the
Sea, and dividing the Hill from the Bay, spreads itself into a Latitude
of three hundred Paces, but immediately widens again into a Breadth
of five hundred Paces, and so visibly enlarges itself, the farther it
extends itself into the Valleys.
And thus having given the Reader some Account of the Front or fore-part
of the _Promontory_, I shall now give him a short Description of the
back-side of it, which faces the Sea. Behind the second and third Hills
there are two lesser Hills, which hang over the _Propontis_. Between
these Hills descends a hollow Valley. These Hills stand in the Middle
of the Valley. That which lies Eastward, as well as that which lies to
the West, exalts itself to the Height of more than two hundred Paces.
At the End of the Valley, between these Hills, is a well built Harbour
enclosed with a Wall. ’Tis seated upon the Plain on the Shore, near
that part of the Sea which runs up to the Front of the _Hippodrom_.
The Mouth of this Harbour is three hundred Paces in Breadth. From the
Bay call’d _Cornu_, the Breadth crossing the Hill to the _Propontis_,
widens to the Distance of two Miles.
CHAP. X.
_Of the second Valley, which divides the second from the third Hill._
That Valley which divides the second from the third Hill, begins at
the _Promontory_, and ends in the Plain adjoining to the Sea. It
contains in it the Fish-Market and the Ferry, whence you cross the
Water to _Syca_. From hence to the Entrance of the Valley, a Plain
expands itself to the Breadth of four hundred Paces so much upon the
Level, that the Water falls from thence into the Bay with almost an
imperceptible Descent. When it has contracted itself into the narrow
Compass of two hundred Paces in Breadth, it gradually straightens
itself into a less, even to the Middle of the Valley, where ’tis but
fifty Paces in Breadth, and afterwards is no broader than the _common
Way_. ’Tis above six hundred Paces in Length, three hundred of which
are almost upon a Level, the other three hundred upon the Descent. It
rises easily to that part of the _Promontory_, where the second and
third Hills join. In the lowermost part of the Valley runs the _broad
Way_ that faces _Galata_. This Way, on both Sides of it, is full of
Merchants Houses, cover’d with a kind of transparent Slat, which have
here and there a small Casement. The Merchants of _Galata_ frequent
the grand _Bezestan_, or Place of _Exchange_. ’Tis situate partly on
the Head of the Valley, and partly on an Eminence of the third Hill.
In the Year of our Lord 1546 it was wholly burnt to the Ground, except
two _Basilica’s_ roof’d with Brick-work, which were lock’d up every
Night, and their Windows secured by Iron Bars, when the Fire was over.
I was allowed after the Fire to view their grand _Forum_. I found it
lie so much upon the Level, that it had but a small Ascent either from
the West to the East, or from the South to the North. I observed that
it stood upon more than five Furlongs of Ground; on the highest part
of it, which lies to the East, I was permitted to see a _Nymphæum_,
adorn’d with five and forty Marble Pillars, which supported a Brick
Roof. The old _Basilica_, of which I could have no Prospect before, by
reason of the Shops and publick Houses, the Fire had lain open to my
View. I observed farther, that it had two additional Buildings like
Wings, joining to the main Building, each of which was divided into
sixty Apartments, which were all arched, and over the Roof cover’d
with Lead, as their Shops and Places of publick Entertainment are. The
inward Chambers of these Apartments, for Privacy, are always lock’d,
and are secured by an Iron Door. The _Basilica_ itself consists of
fifteen large Apartments, in the Figure of a _Dome_, has four Doors,
and is supported by eight Pillars; the Roof is Brick-work, and leaded
at Top. The new _Basilica_ is supported with twelve Pillars built of a
square Stone; four Arches bear upon these Pillars, which support twenty
small Roofs, built in the Form of a _Dome_. There stand round about
sixty Merchants Warehouses, or Shops with arch’d Roofs. Within the
_Basilica_ there are two hundred and twenty more of these Warehouses,
which are made after the following Manner. Round the Walls of the
_Basilica_ are built abundance of very broad Pews, where the Merchants
expose their Goods to Sale, which they take out of Presses, (when they
would shew them to their Chapmen) which have Boxes of Drawers in them,
the Masters always sitting before them. These Presses are fasten’d to
the Wall, have two Folding Doors, and are removable at Pleasure.
CHAP. XI.
_Of the third Hill._
The third Hill is bounded on each Side by two Valleys: That which
lies to the East, divides it from the second Hill, the Western Valley
divides it from the fourth. The Ridge of this Hill is above a thousand
Paces in Length. It shoots from the Top of the _Promontory_ Southward,
Northward to the Bay of _Ceras_, almost in an equal Height. The second
Hill on the contrary falls with a surprizing Descent, from the utmost
Height of the _Promontory_, to the lowest Plain on the Bay Shore. The
third Hill, at the Top of it is a Level of a great Length. It extends
itself at the Foot of it, more by three hundred Paces to the North,
than the Foot of the second Hill. It is not in all Places of an
equal Breadth; at the Top of the _Promontory_ itself ’tis every way
about eight hundred Paces. Here ’tis that the _Seraglio_ stands. On
that part of the Plain which lies to the East, stands the Merchants
_Forum_, a _Caravansera_, and the Sepulchre of _Bajazet_ the Emperor.
On the South Side of it is an open _Area_, round which stand the
Booksellers Shops. On that part of it which lies Northward, stand the
Works which the Emperour _Solyman_ is now building, namely his Tomb, a
_Caravansera_, and a magnificent and expensive Mosque. They are built
not only upon the natural Situation of the Ground there, but also upon
artificial Foundations. This Hill, on three Sides of it, descends
upon three lesser Hills. For on that Side of it which lies Eastward,
where stands the Tower of _Hirena_, a small Hill jets out into the
second Valley. The long Projecture of this Hill, on the Ridge of it
towards the Bay, makes another small Hill which lies Northward, and
from that Side of it which points Westward, where stands the Church
of St. _Theodore_, there shoots another little Hill out of the Middle
of it, to the Plain which lies on the Sea Shore. Two Sides of this
Hill descend in a double Declivity, one in a strait, and the other
in an oblique Line. The Eastern Side of the third Hill, after it has
extended itself to thirteen hundred Paces Distance, abates somewhat of
its winding Descent, but the nearer you descend to the Plain, it falls
with a more direct and confined Declivity. The Descents falling from
the Ridge of the Hill to the Valley differ very much, the uppermost
of them hanging over a very deep Valley, rise to the Height of five
hundred Paces, the lowest three hundred of which are very steep, the
three hundred Paces above them are scarce half of that Steepness. The
other Descents of this Hill are not so shelving, where the Valley rises
higher. The Western Side of the Hill, as to its Declivities, is like
the Eastern. The Northern Side of it has several Descents: For a lesser
Hill, shooting from the Ridge of this Hill, is five hundred Paces high,
the lower most three hundred of which fall so precipitately, that
the Buildings which stand upon them, are all under-propp’d, the two
hundred Paces above them fall with an easy Descent. The Descents on
this Side of the Hill, the farther they lie from the Plain on the Sea
Shore, the more are they lengthen’d by a sideling Fall, which rises on
the Eastern Side of the Hill. The Plain on the Shore, as discontinued
by the Inlet of the Bay, is not above two hundred Paces in Breadth,
but at the Foot of the Hill, in other Parts of it, it sensibly widens
up to the Entrance of the Valleys. The _Grand Seraglio_, seated on
the Side of this Hill, when I first arrived at _Constantinople_, was
little less than six thousand Paces in Compass, but is at present more
closely straiten’d, since the _Caravansera’s_ have been built there by
the Sultan _Solyman_, and the burying Place for the Women (which is
at least half the Ground) has been taken out of it and enclosed. The
left Side of the _Promontory_, which lies behind the third Hill to the
South, jets out with two lesser Hills; from one of which that shoots
Eastward, the Side of the _Promontory_ which winds round Westward
to the other Hill, which is seated a little above the Foot of the
Promontory; and at the Bottom of this Hill, the _Promontory_ admits
the third Valley, which lies behind it, and from thence stretches full
North. The left Side therefore of the third Hill hath a double Descent;
the one towards the South, which is six hundred Paces high, another
extending itself South South-west, seven hundred Paces high; but at
full West it falls very short of that Height. The Plain that lies
between the back Southern Parts of the third Hill, and the Shore of the
_Propontis_, is in no part of it less than three hundred Paces broad,
nor above seven hundred Paces long. The Plain of the Valley which
encloses the Foot of the Hill Westward, and which divides the seventh
Hill from the _Promontory_, reaching from the Shore of the _Propontis_,
where the Walls are not encompassed by the Sea, is almost upon a Level,
and is in every part of it five hundred Paces in Breadth. The three
Hills I have mention’d, may very properly be called the _Promontory_
of the _Bosporus_; for they hang over the Sea in such a manner, that
whether you sail to _Constantinople_ out of the _Black Sea_, or the
_Propontis_, you may see them at a great Distance, prominent over the
Chaps of the _Bosporus_. The third Valley seems to separate the other
three Hills, which lie farther into the Continent from these. The
Reason why I place six Hills in the _Promontory_ of the _Bosporus_ is,
because these latter Hills all stand in a Row near the Bay, and are
join’d together both at the Top and the Sides of them. The Plain which
unfolds itself on the Ridge of the third Hill, descends gently into a
Plain which hangs over the third Valley, and is six hundred and twenty
Paces in Length, and as many in Breadth.
CHAP. XII.
_Of the third Valley._
The third Valley, which lies between the third and the fourth Hill,
seems to be a double Valley; for in the Middle of it, it rises high,
which makes it doubtful whether it be a part of the Valley, or the
_Promontory_. That the Height of it is a part of the Valley, seems
plain from the Height of the Arches, which reach from one Side of the
Valley to the other; and it may be look’d upon to be the Ridge of the
_Promontory_, from the Descent of the extreme Parts of it falling to
the right and left, on each Side of the _Promontory_. On the right
Side of which, it descends into a very low Plain, which, at its first
Entrance, is three hundred Paces broad, and continues on upon a Level
to the Length of five hundred Paces more; and though it sinks at Bottom
into an equal Depth, yet the Pitches or Sides of it, in some Places,
are higher than in others. For where the Plain is most hollow, there
one of the Sides of it is three times higher than the other. From
this Plain you ascend by easy Steps to the Top of the Middle of the
Valley, which is six hundred Paces wide, except that small part of it
in the Middle, where it is not above four hundred Paces in Breadth.
Through the Top of this Valley, or _Promontory_, run the Arches of an
_Aqueduct_ from the fourth to the third Hill, of the same Height,
at the Top of them, with the Hills themselves. The Altitude of these
Arches discovers how great the Descent is from them. For though they
are alike equal in Height at the Top of them, yet this Height is very
different, according to the Difference of their Situations. For they
are very high at the Top of the Valley, which is a plain level Ground,
but upon the Descent of the Hills not near so high, and continue to the
Length of eight hundred Paces in the same Height, though the higher
they stand upon these Hills, they are less tall. The Top of this Valley
or _Promontory_, descends with a gentle Fall of seven hundred Paces
into a Plain, which divides the _Promontory_ from the seventh Hill, and
from thence extends itself to the _Propontis_. The City from the Bay
to the _Propontis_, passing thro’ the third Valley, is more than ten
Furlongs in Breadth.
CHAP. XIII.
_Of the fourth Hill._
The fourth Hill is enclosed with two Valleys, the Ridge of the
_Promontory_, and the Shore of the Bay. Upon the Side of it stands the
Tomb of _Mahomet_, (who took _Constantinople_) several _Caravansera’s_
and _Bagnio’s_. It is above three thousand six hundred Paces in
Compass. The Length, from the Ridge of it to the Bay, is a thousand
Paces; the Breadth of it, from East to West, is at least eight hundred.
As you take a View of it from the Top, stretching in a Square towards
the Bay, you perceive it to end in two Windings, though very different
from each other. For that which points Northward stretches on in a
continued Ridge, and has its Descents on both Sides, whereas that
which shoots Eastward lies so low, that it seems to be only an Ascent
to the other. At the End of it it winds Westward, where it forms a
little Valley. This Hill Eastward is bounded by a Valley, and is parted
from the third Hill; on the North by the Plain on the Shore, on the
East partly by a Valley, which divides it from the fifth Hill, and
partly by the winding of the _Promontory_, which rises in so gradual
and delectable a manner, from the Top of the fourth to the Top of the
fifth Hill, that you discover the Ridge of it to be uneven, more by
a nice Discernment of the Eye, than by any Difficulty in walking it.
For these Hills are join’d together in such a manner, that they seem
to lie upon a Level. They are both of them one Plain, which, covering
the Top of the fourth Hill, is not above four hundred Paces in Length,
nor more than two hundred in Breadth, tho’ afterwards, when continu’d
to the fifth Hill, it widens into the Breadth of five hundred Paces.
The fourth Hill, tho’ it is equal in Height to any of the other six,
yet its Ascents, whether they lie in a strait Line, or more obliquely,
are more moderate, by reason it is a long Tract of Ground with three
Declivities. The first of which, thro’ the Length of the whole,
descends from the Southwest full North more than a thousand Paces; two
hundred of which rising from the Sea Shore are a more easy Ascent, the
rest rise so very gently that you can scarce perceive them, although
the uppermost hundred of them, which reach to the Top of the Hill, are
very steep. The cross Descent which runs athwart the Breadth of the
Hill is double, one of which falls Westward; the other, which shelves
Eastward, rises from the Valley, which divides the third and fourth
Hill. From the highest part of this Valley you climb an Ascent two
hundred Paces in Height. Below the Top of it is another Ascent, which
is five hundred Paces high, one hundred of which rising from the Bottom
are very steep. The Height of the rest, which are an easy Ascent, you
discover by the Level of the _Aqueduct_. From the Bottom of the Valley
you ascend four hundred Paces, the first hundred and eighty of which
are very steep, after which you may walk two hundred more almost upon
a Level. From hence you rise to the Middle of it, which is higher,
and is a hundred Paces in Breadth. It is also elevated eight hundred
Paces in Length, from the Top of it to the Bottom. From hence you
descend two hundred Paces Westward to the lowest Part of the Valley,
which divides the fourth and the fifth Hill, which is all a narrow
Piece of Ground, and about four hundred Paces in Length. The first
two hundred Paces upon the Shore of the Bay are all upon a Level; but
it is an Uncertainty whether they are a part of the Valley, or the
Sea Shore. For this Valley is enclosed in such a manner by these two
Hills, as the fourth is bounded by the Plain upon the Shore, which is
two hundred Paces broad, whereas the fifth does scarce descend so far.
The following eight hundred Paces are much upon the same Level, the
last four hundred of which, stretching to the Top of the _Promontory_,
are very steep. The Plain upon the Shore, passing between the Bay and
the fourth Hill, is of a different Breadth. For that part of it which
extends itself to the South-western Point of the Hill, is four hundred
Paces broad, whereas that part of it which extends itself to the
Northern Point, is no more in Breadth than two hundred Paces. In short,
such is the Situation of the fourth Hill, that when you sail along the
Bay, you would take it to be an advanced part of the third Valley.
For the Top of this Hill runs so far Southward, that its Descents,
shelving very moderately, seem almost upon a Level; whereas the Top of
the fifth Hill, which is of the same Height, projects beyond the fourth
directly Northward. The Descents on the Back of the third Hill, which
lie Southward, are very easy and agreeable, till you come to the Plain
of the Vale, which divides the _Promontory_ from the seventh Hill; so
that the back part of this Hill shoots Southward, and is not bounded
on either Side of it by the third Valley. This Southern Part of it is
somewhat narrow, just beyond a little Hill of the third Valley, near
a _Caravansera_, built by the _Sultan Mahomet_; but behind the fifth
Hill, below the _Columna Virginea_, ’tis straitned much more.
CHAP. XIV.
_Of the Fifth Hill._
The Bottom of the fifth Hill, on the Top of which stands the Tomb of
_Selymus_ the Emperor, as bounded partly by the Bay, and partly by an
Eastern and Western Valley, is four thousand Paces in Compass. The
Pitch of this Hill hangs so far over the Bay Northward, and the Pitch
of the fourth Hill lies so low towards the same Point, that the fourth
Hill seems to be a kind of Valley, situate between the third, and the
fifth Hill. For the fifth Hill does not join at Top, and continue the
Ridge of the _Promontory_ as other Hills do, but being of an equal
Heighth with it, shoots to a great Distance beyond it running as far
Northward, as does the Foot of the fourth Hill. It has a Descent on
three Sides of it; one to the North, the Steepness of which the Reader
may learn from hence, that altho’ it is very near the Heighth of the
fourth Hill, which is above a thousand Paces high, yet the highest
Ascent of this Hill comes nearer upon the Line, than that of any other
Hill, to the lowest Ascent from the Bottom; for you ascend thro’ a
little Valley, no more than three hundred Paces high to the Top of it.
This Valley is form’d by two small Hills adjoining to the Shore of the
Bay, upon which, at about four hundred Paces distance, you discover
some Stone Steps, belonging to a Foundation of a _Caravansera_, built
by the Emperor _Selymus_. This Northern Side of the Hill has four
small Hills jetting out of it, three small Valleys running between
them, which rise from the Top of the Hill, and are situate at such a
Distance from the Plain upon the Shore, that two of them touch the Wall
which stands upon it; the other two are a hundred Paces from it. The
Plain upon the Shore is in no Part of it narrower than it is at the
Foot of this Hill; for to the Distance of a thousand Paces, it does
not exceed a hundred Paces in Breadth, and in some Places not fifty.
Two of these Hills are very steep, so that the Buildings you see upon
them, as tho’ they were in danger of falling, are all underpropp’d,
and the Inhabitants have been oblig’d to cut Windings in the Rocks to
moderate the Descent. The other two are less Precipitate, the Valleys
which enclose them not lying so deep. The Side of the Hill which shoots
Eastward is one thousand four hundred Paces in Length, and two hundred
in Breadth, and its Altitude two hundred Paces upon the Perpendicular.
The Height of the Side of it, which falls Westward, shelves into a
different Depth, according as the Valley sinks. Where it descends into
a Level Plain, it advances its Top to the Height of five hundred Paces.
In other Places it rises no higher than three hundred, with a very
moderate Ascent. The Side of the _Promontory_ which points Southward,
situate behind the fifth Hill, ends in the Plain of the Valley, which
divides the _Promontory_ from the seventh Hill. In other Places it
falls with a more confined, and sometimes with a more expanded
Descent, upon a small thick Hill, which hangs over the fifth Valley;
as also over that Valley which parts the _Promontory_ from the seventh
Hill. The back Part of the fifth Hill does also wind it self into a
small Valley, which rises at the Brow of the _Promontory_, where not
long since was remaining the _Columna Virginea_. From hence the Ridge
of the _Promontory_ somewhat bends over the Top of the Plain of the
fifth Hill, which in some Places is six hundred, and in others seven
hundred Paces broad. But beyond the Ridge of this Hill it widens to a
great Distance, as far as the Plain of the fourth Hill, and shoots on
with the Plain of the _Promontory_, and falls down to the Neck of the
_Isthmus_, and so extending it self still on, is at least two thousand
Paces in Length.
CHAP. XV.
_Of the Fifth Valley._
The fifth Valley, which divides the fifth from the sixth Hill, winding
from North to South, is as long as the _Promontory_ is broad; that
is, about twelve hundred Paces; the first eight hundred of which have
no Ascent. The Valley, at the first Entrance into it, is at least
four hundred Paces broad, but is afterwards straitned into half that
Breadth; and yet to the Length of six hundred Paces, ’tis in no Place
less than two hundred Paces broad. Farther, ’tis at least five hundred
Paces wide. Above this, is the Top of the Valley, or the Ridge of the
_Promontory_, opening upon a Level Breadth of two hundred Paces. From
the Top of this _Promontory_, to the left Side of it, there falls a
Valley with a gentle Descent, to the Distance of five hundred Paces,
where it descends into another Valley, which divides the _Promontory_
from the seventh Hill. The fifth Valley seems to cut through the Ridge
of the _Promontory_. This may easily be discerned by the right and left
Descent of the two Hills which lie nearest to it; for there is a very
easy Ascent from the Height of this Valley, to the Top of either Hill.
CHAP. XVI.
The sixth Hill is just as long as the _Promontory_ is broad, which is
widen’d upon this Hill to the Breadth of two thousand four hundred
Paces. The City Walls shoot over the Ridge, and the North Side of it
down to the Sea Shore. You descend gradually from the Top of it within
the Walls; without the Walls it lies upon a Level, and is join’d to the
Continent by a Field in the Suburbs. The broadest part of it is not
above eight hundred Paces, the narrowest but four hundred. It descends
with a treble Declivity; one on the left Hand of the _Promontory_, with
an easy Descent at South-east; another on the right falling to the Bay
Northward, which extends itself to the Distance of fifteen hundred
Paces. There are two lesser Hills, separated by a small Valley, which
run between them. At the Foot of that lesser Hill which stands nearest
to the City Wall, there is an _Aqueduct_. Between this Hill and the
Bay, there formerly stood the Church of the _Blachernæ_, which has
been recorded in the Writings of many Historians. The Foundation of
this Church was remaining, when I first arrived at _Constantinople_.
From the Foot of this Hill, which stands above the Church I have
mention’d, there rises a Spring, whose Waters are convey’d thro’ arch’d
subterraneous Passages into the City, where, appearing above Ground,
they flow constantly into a Marble Cistern. That Side of the sixth Hill
which lies Eastward, is as long as the Hill itself; but does not, in
all parts of it, fall with the same Descent. For the Descent varies,
according as the Valley adjoining lies higher or lower. Where the
Valley lies upon the Level, the Pitch of the Hill rises to the Height
of six hundred Paces; where it does not lie so low, ’tis not above five
hundred Paces high; where it rises higher, not above four hundred. Nor
does this Side of the Hill shoot only Eastward, but does also, on the
right Side of it, project Northward, and on the left Side of it extend
itself full South-west. The Plain on the Shore, which lies between the
Foot of the Hill and the Bay, in the narrow part of it, is not above
eight hundred Paces broad, I mean in that Place where the Church of the
_Blachernæ_ stood formerly, as did also a _Triclinium_; but farther on
it winds round into the third Valley, and widens much more.
CHAP. XVII.
_Of the Valley which divides the_ Promontory _from the seventh Hill_.
The Valley which divides the seventh from the six Hills of the
_Promontory_, is an easy Descent. It extends itself in Length to the
Distance of four thousand Paces, if you take in the Plain on the Sea
Shore. If you exclude that, and take your Dimensions from the winding
of the seventh Hill, ’tis not above three thousand three hundred
Paces long. It lies so much upon a Level, that you cannot perceive by
walking it, that it has the least Ascent; yet you may discover by the
Discernment of the Eye that it sensibly lengthens and widens itself
into a greater Breadth. It bounds the Sides of the third and the fifth
Valley, and the lowest Eminences of the fifth and sixth Hills. It is
full of Gardens and pleasant Meadows. Here the Soldiers sometimes act
their Mock-Fights. There’s a Rivulet which runs through the Middle of
it, which is often dry in Summer Time.
CHAP. XVIII.
_Of the seventh Hill._
The seventh Hill is called the _Xerolophos_, on which stands the Pillar
of _Arcadius_. This Hill is little less than twelve thousand Paces in
Circumference, and contains more than a third Part of the City. The
other two Parts are comprehended in the Compass of the _Promontory_,
which is above twenty thousand Paces in Circumference. By _Paces_, I
would here be thought to mean the ordinary Steps we take in Walking,
which I cannot exactly reduce to a just Mensuration with the _Roman
Pace_, by reason of the Turnings and Windings of the Ways, and the
Differences of Paces, which are longer or shorter, according to the
different Ascents and Descents of the Ground we walk. This Hill makes
the third Angle of the City, from whence _Constantinople_ is look’d
upon to be of a triangular Figure. It lies shelving with a very
moderate Descent, and has a double Declivity; one of which falls gently
into the Valley, which divides the seventh Hill from the _Promontory_,
and is of an equal Length with the Valley itself. The other Descent,
which partly lies to the South-east, and partly to the South, falls
into the _Propontis_, and is in some Places five hundred Paces steep,
in others four hundred, three hundred, a hundred, nay even fifty,
till it comes to the Point of the third Angle of the City, whence a
large Plain shoots out towards the Sea, which, in different Places,
is of a different Breadth. The Entrance of this Plain, at the Angle
of the City just mention’d, is very narrow; it afterwards widens,
which is occasioned by the Winding of one of its Sides, from whence
it gently rises to the Foot of a small Hill, where ’tis four hundred
Paces broad; onwards it is straiten’d into fifty, and afterwards is
widen’d into a Breadth of a hundred Paces only. The End of this Plain,
to the Distance of a thousand Paces, is more than four hundred Paces
broad. On the Ridge of this Hill, there is a Plain of some Length and
Breadth; the Hill itself is bounded by the Land Wall, and on the Top of
it is a Cistern which is call’d _Mocisia_, which is wholly unroof’d,
and stripp’d of its Pillars. This Cistern is nine hundred and seventy
Paces in Circumference. The Walls of it, which are made of squared
Free-stone, are still remaining; and the Ground where it stands, is now
turn’d into a Garden.
Thus is it that I have laid before the Reader a _Plan_ or _Description_
of the Situation of the City of _Constantinople_, by which means the
Situation of the _Wards_ of that City will be more easily discovered.
I hope I shall not be thought to have dwelt too long on this Subject,
since a verbal Delineation of it is the most concise way of coming to
the Knowledge of it. For although _Constantinople_, by reason of the
Eminency of its Situation, affords a most agreeable Prospect at the
remotest Distance, yet thus to particularize the several Parts of the
City, leads the Reader into a more exact and more expeditious Insight
into it, than any other Method of Information whatsoever.
CHAP. XIX.
_Of the Walls of the City._
The Walls of _Constantinople_, in some Places, are built with squared
Free-stone, in others with rough Stone, and in many Places with an
Intermixture of Brick and Stone together. The Walls on the Land Side
are double, secured with a large Ditch five and twenty Paces broad. One
of the Walls is carry’d somewhat farther than the Length of the Ditch,
and is very strongly fortified. These Walls stand at eighteen Foot
Distance from each other. The inward Wall is very lofty, and more than
twenty Foot in Thickness, upon which are built two hundred and fifty
Towers with Steps, facing the Continent. The outward Wall is not above
half as big, but has the same Number of Towers. As to the Nature of its
Fortification, the Ground that takes up the Distance between the Ditch
and the outward Wall, is higher than the adjoining Side of the Ditch,
and the Ground between the two Walls is higher than that. The Countrey
opening without the Walls is not incumber’d with Buildings, and is
partly hilly, and partly upon the Level, but chiefly upon the latter,
so that you have a delightful Prospect over the Fields before you, and
a very extensive View all about you: And there is no Doubt to be made,
but that _Constantinople_ might be made a terrible strong Place. The
Walls which run round the Sea, are not so high as the Land Walls; they
are a plain Building, but very thick, and well guarded with Towers. On
the Side of the Bay _Ceras_, they are about fifty Paces distant from
the Shore. On the Side of the _Bosporus_ and the _Propontis_, they are
built upon the Shore, except where they are discontinu’d by some Port
or Landing-place. _Zonaras_ relates, that _Theophilus_ the Emperor
not only repaired, but raised these Walls higher, after they had been
much impair’d by Time, and the Dashings of the Sea. This is also
confirm’d to us down even to the present Age; for in many Places of
them, I observ’d the Name of _Theophilus_ the Emperor was cut in very
large Characters. The Emperor _Nicephorus_ was hated by his People for
levying a Tax upon them, which was call’d _Diceraton_, for repairing
these Walls. I learn from the _Constitutions_ of _Justinian_, that in
his Time the Walls were commonly call’d the _old_ and the _new_ Walls,
where he decrees, _That a larger Fee shall be paid the Bearers, and
those who attend a Corpse beyond the_ new _Walls of the City_. What I
would observe from hence is, that the old Walls which were built by
_Constantine_, and that the new Walls which were built by _Theodosius
the Less_, were both standing in the Reign of _Justinian_. The Walls
of old _Byzantium_ I have described in the Beginning of this Book; and
as to the Condition they were in formerly, we may learn more fully
from _Herodian_, who writes, that _Byzantium_ was inclosed with a very
large and a very strong Wall, made of square Stones of a great Size,
so artfully cemented, that it was look’d upon as one compacted Piece
of Work. This is also confirm’d by the Authority of _Pausanias_, who
tells us, _That he never saw the Walls of_ Babylon, _or of_ Memnon,
_nor ever heard of any Person who had seen them: But the Walls of_
Byzantium _and_ Rhodes, says he, _are accounted exceeding strong; and
yet the Walls which inclose_ Messene _are stronger than these_. ’Tis
recorded by some Historians, that the _Athenians_ kept their Treasury
at _Byzantium_, because it was a well fortify’d Place. Whether those
Walls which the Author of the _Ancient Description of the Wards_ calls
the double Walls are the same which we see at _Constantinople_ at
present, or whether they were built by _Theodosius_, I leave it to the
Judgment of the Reader. Thus far I shall give my Opinion, _viz._ That
they do not seem to me to be entirely the same Walls which that Author
describes. For he places the Church of the _Apostles_ in a _Ward_
which is near to the Walls of the City, and places the fourteenth
_Ward_ without the Walls of the City, which at present, if not all of
it, at least the best part of it, is within the Walls. I would add,
that _Theodosius the Less_, who reign’d before _Justinian_, does not
place the _Blachernæ_ within the Walls of the City, and yet I have
the Authority of _Procopius_, that these were apart of the Suburbs in
the Time of _Justinian_, tho’ at present they are enclosed within the
Walls, as were also the seven Towers, and the Church which was built by
_Stadius_, (or rather _Studius_) who was afterwards _Consul_.
CHAP. XX.
_Of the Gates of_ Constantinople, _and the seven Towers of Old_
Byzantium.
The Walls on the Side of the Continent have six Gates; one within the
Palace of _Constantine_, another, which is call’d the _Adrianopolitan_
Gate, and a third on the Brow of the seventh Hill. Besides these,
there is the _Porta Aurea_ or _Gilded Gate_, the Gate of _Selymbria_
or _Rhegium_, and the Gate of the seven Towers. On the Side of the Bay
_Ceras_ is the Gate of the _Blachernæ_, at present call’d _Xyloporta_,
seated near the third Angle of the City. There are also the Gates
call’d _Cynigos_, or _Porta Palatina_, _Phanaria_, _Agia_, _Porta
Jubalica_, _Farinaria_, _Lignaria_, _Seminaria_, _Piscaria_, the Gate
of the _Neorium_, and the Gate of _Demetrius_, which stands on the
Ridge of the first Hill. On the Side of the _Propontis_ there are
about five; every one of which has _Stairs_, or a _Landing-place_,
and a Haven for Ships, besides the Gates of the Imperial Palace.
There is also the _Porta Stercoraria_, _Leonina_, _Condescala_, two
of which stand at the Foot of the seventh Hill. Those which have been
principally taken Notice of by Historians, are the Gates of _Cynigos_,
_Rhegium_ and _Xylocerum_, also the Gate of _Eugenius_, the _Porta
Aurea_, that call’d _Myriandros_, the _Porta Condescala_, and _Porta
Carsiana_. In old _Byzantium_ there was the _Thracian Gate_. For we
are told by _Dion_, that the seven Towers reach’d from the _Thracian_
Gate to the Sea, which _Cedrinus_ tells us was the Bay _Ceras_. If
any one spoke any thing in the first of these Towers, it immediately
flew to the second, and so through all the rest, so that you might
hear the Voice distinctly repeated in every one of them. _Pliny_ tells
the very same Story of _Cyzicus_. In that City, says he, near the
_Thracian_ Gate there are seven Towers, which multiply the Voice by
Repetition, or Reiteration, more than seven times. This, he adds, was
look’d upon by the _Grecians_ as somewhat miraculous, and was call’d
the _Echo_. I never found any Mention made of the _Thracian_ Gates in
any Historian but in _Pliny_, though it is not altogether improbable,
that there were such Gates there; for _Apollonius_, in the _first Book_
of his _Argonauticks_, mentions the _Thracian_ Haven in _Cyzicus_; and
_Plutarch_ is very express, that near this City there was a Street
call’d the _Thracian Street_. This is also attested not only by some
more modern Writers of _Constantinople_, but also by _Dion_ and
_Xenophon_; the latter of whom writes, That when _Alcibiades_ appear’d
before the Town, the _Byzantians_ open’d the _Thracian_ Gates to him of
their own Accord.
CHAP. XXI.
_Of the long Walls._
The Suburbs and Fields adjoining were inclosed with Walls of such an
immoderate Length, that they extended themselves from the City to the
Distance of a two Days Journey. They were built by _Anastasius_ the
Emperor to prevent the Incursions of the _Scythians_ and _Bulgarians_,
reach’d from the _Black Sea_ to the _Propontis_, were forty thousand
Paces remote from the City, and twenty _Roman_ Foot in Breadth. These
Walls were often taken and batter’d by the barbarous Nations, but
repair’d by _Justinian_; and that the Soldiers garrisoned there might
defend them to the best Advantage, he order’d the Passages of one Tower
to another to be stopp’d up, no Entrance being allow’d, but the Door
at the Bottom of the Steps, by which it was ascended; so that by this
means it was sufficiently guarded, though the Enemies Forces were in
the Heart of the City. _Evagrius_ the sacred Historian tells us, that
_Anastasius_ built the long Wall, which was two hundred and eighty
Furlongs distant from the City, that it reach’d from Sea to Sea, was
four hundred Furlongs in Length, that it was a good Security to those
who sail’d out of the _Black Sea_ to the _Propontis_, and that it put a
Stop to the Excursions of the barbarous Nations.
_The End of the First Book._
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THE ANTIQUITIES OF CONSTANTINOPLE.