The Sixth Ward
The sixth Ward, upon the Entrance of it, is a short Piece of level Ground, all the rest is upon the Descent; for it extends itself from the Forum of Constantine to the Stairs, where you ferry over to Sycæna. It contains the Porphyry Pillar of Constantine; the Senate-house in the same Place; the Neorian Port; the Stairs of Sycæna; twenty two Streets; four hundred and eighty four great Houses; one large Portico; nine private Baths; one publick, and seventeen private Mills; it has also one Curator, one Vernaculus; forty nine Collegiati, and five Vico-Magistri.
Notes
The Porphyry Pillar of Constantine.] This Pillar stood in the Forum of Constantine, which was pav’d with square Stones. Zonaras, speaking of Nicephorus Phocas the Emperor, has this Passage: The People curse Nicephorus even to the pav’d Forum, in which is erected the round Porphyry Pillar. Cedrinus in his History tells us, that Constantine in the twenty fourth Year of his Reign, built a Forum with two Rostrums, or Pleading Desks made in the form of Pulpits, and that he plac’d in the Forum, a Pillar which he brought from Rome. It was one solid Piece of Porphyry Marble, and was bound with three Fasciæ, or Wreaths of Brass round it, with Inscriptions upon them. On the Top of it he erected his own Statue, with this Inscription, CONSTANTINUS. It blazed like the Sun, was made by the famous Phidias, and was brought from Athens. Upon the Pedestal of the Pillar were carved in Basso Relievo, the seven and twelve Baskets of Fragments, which were taken up in the Miracles of the Loaves and Fishes, and beneath were inscribed the following Verses.
To thee, O Saviour, Lord of th’ Universe,
Who rulest the unmeasurable Globe
With deepest Knowledge, I this People offer;
May they be thine; I conquer’d them for thee.
I lay m’ Imperial Sceptre at thy Feet,
With all the mighty Force and Pow’r of Rome.
Let thy good Providence with watchful Eye
Look down, and guard the City from all Ills.
Zonaras mentions the same Thing, tho’ in different Words. He placed, says he, meaning Constantine, the round Porphyry Pillar which he brought from Rome, in the Forum, paved with square Stones. For this Reason it was called by the Greeks Πλακότον. At the Top of the Pillar he placed his own Statue in Brass, which for its Largeness, and the Exquisiteness of its Work, was scarce to be matched in the whole World, as being finished to the Life, by an antient and eminent Statuary. It was thought that it was originally designed for Apollo, and brought from Troy; but Constantine gave it his own Name, making some Alteration by fattening some of those Nails in the Head of it, with which the Jews crucified the Lord of Life. This Statue continued standing upon the Pillar till very lately, when in the Reign of Alexius Comnenus, it was thrown down by an Earthquake, and crushed some People to Death. Nicephorus in the Fourth Book, Chap. 8. of his Eccles. Hist. gives a better Description of it. He built, says he, a large Porphyry Pillar, upon which he placed his own Statue, holding in his right Hand a Globe, with a Cross fixed upon it. By this Symbol he intimated, that by Virtue of that invincible Trophy the Cross, the whole Earth and Sea was subject to his Power. Gyllius writes, that this Pillar was made of eight Stones, and that at the Joints of it, it was covered round with Wreathed Laurels made of Brass, so that you could not perceive where it was cemented; but that upon the Removal of the Brass-work, you might easily discern that it was a jointed Structure, and that the Number of the Stones might be plainly seen. This Pillar is eighty six Foot high, besides the Basis, the Steps, and the Pedestal.
The Senate-House, in the same Place.] This Building stood on the North Side of the Forum of Constantine. The Senators and principal Men of the City used to assemble here upon publick Affairs, and the Emperor took upon him in this Place the Consular Habit. It was curiously beautified with Brass, and Porphyry Marble. Zonaras, and Cedrinus tell us, that in the Reign of Leo the Great, it was destroyed by Fire.
The Neorian Port.] This was the Haven, or Dock, where they built their shipping, from whence the Gate, which hands near it, is called by some Writers, the Gate of the Neorium; but by Zonaras, and Cedrinus, as will appear in my Notes upon the twelfth Ward, it was called Porta Aurea, the gilded or beautiful Gate. Some have given it the Name of the Imperial Gate, because it joins to the Palace.
The Stairs of Sycæna.] These are the Stairs upon the Shore, from whence you go off to a neighbouring Island called Sycæna but which at present is called Pera. In the Creek here, there are many Thousand small Boats, more in Number than at Venice. They are generally called Ferry-boats, because they carry their Fare to and fro’ across the River.
One large Portico.] This Portico reached as far as the Forum of Constantine, and was burnt down in a tumultuous Manner, in the Reign of Justinian.