Chap. XXII Of the Portico’s Situate Between the Palace, and the Forum of Constantine
Besides the Imperial Portico, which stood near the Library, there were also other Portico’s at a little Distance from it, which reach’d from the Palace to the Forum of Constantine. The first Fire, which happen’d in the Reign of Justinian, consumed the Palace and the Church of St. Sophia, both the long Portico’s, as far as the Forum of Constantine. Cedrinus says, that besides these, it destroy’d also the Chalca and the Augusteum. The Fire that happen’d afterwards in the Reign of Basiliscus, began at the Chalcopratia, burnt down the two adjoining Portico’s, all the neighbouring Buildings, the Basilica, in which was the Library, two Portico’s which stood between the Palaces, and all the fine Ornaments of the Lausus. These Portico’s have been often burnt, and as often rebuilt; first of all by Justinian, then by others, and last by Domninus, which is confirm’d by a modern Historian, who says, That when Constantinople was taken by the Gauls and the Venetians, the cover’d Portico’s of Domninus reaching on both Sides of the Way, from the Miliarium to the Forum of Constantine, were burnt to the Ground. Some say, That in the Time of Constantine the Great, Eubulus built four double Portico’s, which were arch’d at Top, and reach’d from the Palace to the Land Wall of the City; one of which stretch’d as far as the Church of St. Anthony, at the End of the City, another from the Port of Sophia, to the Church named Rabdon; the other two extended themselves from the Chalca, and the Miliarium to the Forum of Constantine, the Street call’d Taurus, and the Brazen Bull. All of them were paved with square Marble, and adorn’d with infinite Numbers of Statues. These Relations, though they come from unknown Authors, who, as I have sometimes observed, have not so strictly adhered to Truth, yet seem to carry with them a good Face of Probability, since it is evident from Historians of more Veracity, how industrious Constantine was in adorning the City; and ’tis no less evident from the Treatise of the ancient Description of the Wards, that Constantinople, in the Reigns of Arcadius and Honorius, had no less than fifty two publick Portico’s, five of which the Author places in the fourth Ward, in which stood the Basilica, the Imperial Portico, and the Portico of Fannio; besides which, he places four large Portico’s in the sixth Ward. In the same Ward he places another large Portico. He adds, that the seventh Ward abounds with Portico’s, and that the eighth Ward had six Portico’s more. In the ninth Ward were two large Portico’s. The tenth had six, the eleventh four. From which it is credible, that the Portico’s stood very thick from the Chalca to the Land Wall, but I cannot say they were contiguous beyond the Taurus.