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