Constantinople in Constantine s days

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1 Για παραπομπή : Μαρίνης Βασίλειος, "", Περίληψη : Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις, the city of Constantine ), the capital of the Byzantine empire, was founded by emperor Constantine I on the southern part of the Bosporos, on the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantion. The city was founded in 324 and dedicated on 11 May 330. Constantine sponsored a significant building program to enlarge and beautify his new capital. Χρονολόγηση Γεωγραφικός εντοπισμός Constantinople 1. Byzantion Although there is evidence of settlement from as early as the late third millennium B.C., the earliest substantial habitation of the area occurred in the 7 th c. B.C. with the foundation of the city of Byzantion, 1 a colony of the Greek city of Megara. The name derives from its legendary founder, Byzas, the son of the nymph Semestre or of Poseidon and Keroessa, daughter of Io. 2 There is mention of another founder by the name of Antes and it appears that the two names were combined to form the city s toponym. The city came to the forefront in the 2 nd century AD, when it opposed the Roman emperor Septimius Severus in the civil war. Severus razed it to the ground and then rebuilt it, renaming it Augusta Antonina in honor of his son. Archaeological evidence from Byzantion is scarce. Several of its ancient structures were incorporated into the new city and survived well into the Byzantine period. 3 Severus destroyed the ancient wall, passing shortly to the east of what was to become the Forum of Constantine, but it was rebuilt later in the 3 rd century. 4 The cemetery of the city was located outside the walls. 5 The acropolis (on the Seraglio point) had three temples, dedicated to Aphrodite, Artemis, and the Sun God. Another temple dedicated to Poseidon is also mentioned in the sources. There were at least two ports inside the walls, the Bosphorion or Prosphorion on the 5 th region and the Neorion on the 6 th, with an agora next to it, later to become the Strategion. Other monuments included another agora called Tetrastoon (later to become the Augustaion, to the south of Hagia Sophia), the theater to the east of the acropolis, the amphitheater or Kynegion in the region of Mangana, situated to the east of the acropolis, and two baths (the baths of Achilles with a gymnasium nearby, and of Zeuxippos), the Hippodrome, and the aqueduct of Valens, actually built by Hadrian. The population of Byzantion is estimated between 20,000 and 50,000 inhabitants. 2. The selection of the site The creation of imperial residences was a usual practice of the Tetrarchy. Such examples included, among others, Milan, Nicomedia, and Thessalonike. The foundation or re foundation of a city as an imperial residence was followed by a more or less extensive reconstruction program aimed at beautifying the city particularly with large buildings, such as a hippodrome, imperial mausolea, and a palace. Constantine selected the rather insignificant site of Byzantion apparently because he appreciated its strategic advantages. 6 It controlled the narrow channel that connected the Black Sea and the Mediterranean; it laid in the intersection of major highways, including the Via Egnatia, going both east Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/7/2017 Σελίδα 1/6

2 Για παραπομπή : Μαρίνης Βασίλειος, "", and west; it was close to the thriving coastal cities of Asia Minor; and it provided quick access to the two most troublesome borders of the empire at the time, the Danube frontier and the boundary with Persia. The site had two major disadvantages: there was no natural defensive barrier to the west of the city (addressed with the erection of the land walls); and there were not any natural sources of water (which was remedied by the construction of an elaborate aqueduct system).constantine founded the city in 324 and dedicated it on 11 May 330. Its name, Constantinopolis Nova Roma (Constantinople, the New Rome) signified Constantine s intentions of recreating in the Bosphoros the glory of old Rome The walls and the Forum of Constantine Constantine s architects and engineers embarked on a significant building project. Of prime importance was a construction of a wall, which was located approximately 3 km to the west of the walls of Byzantion. Although nothing survives today, parts of the Constantinian wall (such as its Golden Gate or Gate of Satourninos) were preserved in the medieval city and even after the Ottoman conquest. Just outside the ancient walls a large circular forum (known as the Forum Constantini) was built. 8 At the center there was a porphyry column, which still survives today under the name of Çemberlitaş, surmounted by a colossal statue of Constantine as Helios. The building of the Senate was located in the north side of the forum. Its portico housed the statues of Athena and Thetis. Across from the Senate there might have been a nympheum. 4. The Great Palace and adjacent buildings The earliest phase of the palace, constructed by Constantine and his immediate successors, was located to the southeast of the city, between the Hippodrome and the sea, an area occupied today by Sultanahmed (the Blue Mosque). 9 It included residential quarters (Daphne), the quarters of the imperial guards, the Tribunal or Delphax, the Augusteus, probably a throne room, and an audience hall called Consistorium. A second Senate building and the Basilica were located close to the palace. Close to the Basilica the Milion, probably a tetrapyle, marked the beginnings of the city s main avenue. 10 The Hippodrome, a sports ring dedicated to chariot races and the center of the city s public life, was adjacent to the palace. 11 According to the legend, the construction of the hippodrome begun under Septimius Severus and was completed by Constantine. The emperor attended the games and other functions from the Kathisma, an imperial box connected directly with the palace through a spiral staircase. Parts of Constantinople s hippodrome still survive today. The baths of Zeuxippos, reputedly built by Severus and enlarged by Constantine, were located in the northeast corner of the hippodrome. The baths were famous for the collection of antique statuary that decorated them. 5. Streets The main artery was called Mese (lit. ʺmiddle streetʺ), it was porticoed, and crossed the city from East to West. The Mese bifurcated ca. 1 km west of the Forum Constantini, with one branch leading southwest to the Golden Gate, and the other continuing to the northwest. The place were the Mese split was called Philadelphion (close to where Laleli camii is located today), decorated with a porphyry column, and statues of Constantine s family members. 12 The Capitolium was located nearby. It appears that Constantinople inherited from Byzantion a relatively regular street Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/7/2017 Σελίδα 2/6

3 Για παραπομπή : Μαρίνης Βασίλειος, "", layout which was later expanded Churches and sanctuaries Constantineʹs attitude towards pagan culture and sanctuaries was somewhat ambivalent. He certainly did not strive to make his new capital a Christian city as opposed to its pagan past as Byzantion, although the pagan aspect of the city was largely reduced in his days. Rather he incorporated the main elements of Byzantionʹs paganism to his imperial ideology, according to a long standing Roman tradition. Thus, he made two pagan sanctuaries flanking a portico of the Tetrastoon, one of Rhea/Kybele and one of Tyche of Rome, which were most probably minor architectural formations and not actual sanctuaries; these two divinities were associated with the Tyche of Constantinople. 14 He also systematically transported ancient sculpture to Constantinople, a practice that later emperors continued. 15 Although he may have converted some pagan temples into Christian churches, such as the martyrium of St. Mokios which may have been a temple of Zeus or Hercules, 16 the three temples on the acropole, of Aphrodite, of Apollo Helios and of Artemis were left to their prior use and dedication; however, Constantine apparently did discourage pagan worship there. 17 Despite Eusebios assertion that Constantine dedicated the city to the God of the martyrs building numerous churches inside and outside the walls, 18 only three churches can be attributed to Constantine: 19 the cathedral basilica, dedicated to Hagia Eirene; a martyrion of St. Akakios, a local martyr, which was located inside the walls and might have been constructed by Constantine; and the church of another local martyr, Mokios, which was situated outside the Constantinian walls, close to a famous cistern. The church of the Holy Apostles (which was located in the area today occupied by Fatih camii) is attributed falsely to Constantine, as he apparently constructed there only a mausoleum for himself Janin, R., Constantinople byzantine, (Paris ), pp ; Mango, C., Le dévelopment urbain de Constantinople (IV e -VII e siècles) (Paris 1985), pp ; Dagron, G., Constantinople imaginaire (Paris 1984), pp ; Dagron, G., Naissance d une capitale. Constantinople et ses institutions de 330 à 451 (Paris ), pp Dagron, G., Constantinople imaginaire (Paris 1984), p Mango, C., Le dévelopment urbain urbain de Constantinople (IV e -VII e siècles) (Paris 1985), pp Mango, C., Le dévelopment urbain urbain de Constantinople (IV e -VII e siècles) (Paris 1985), pp Several funerary steles from ancient Byzantion have been found, see Dethier, P.A. and Mordtmann, A.D., Epigraphik von Byzantion und Constantinopolis (Vienna 1864); Fıratlı, N., Les stèles funéraires de Byzance gréco-romaine (Paris 1964). See also Müller-Wiener, W., Bildlexikon zur Topographie Istanbuls (Tübingen 1977), pp Dagron, G., Naissance d une capitale. Constantinople et ses institutions de 330 à 451 (Paris ), pp Dagron, G., Naissance d une capitale. Constantinople et ses institutions de 330 à 451 (Paris ), pp Janin, R., Constantinople byzantine (Paris ), pp ; Müller-Wiener, W., Bildlexikon zur Topographie Istanbuls (Tübingen 1977), pp Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/7/2017 Σελίδα 3/6

4 Για παραπομπή : Μαρίνης Βασίλειος, "", 257; Berger, A., Untersuchungen zu den Patria Konstantinupoleos (Bonn 1988), pp For the Great Palace see Paspates, A.G., The Great Palace of Constantinople (London 1893); Ebersolt, J., Le Grand Palais de Constantinople (Paris 1910); Miranda, S., Étude de topographie du Palais Sacré de Byzance (Mexico City ); Mango, C., The Brazen House. A Study of the Vestibule of the Imperial Palace of Constantinople (København 1959). See also, Berger, A., Untersuchungen zu den Patria Konstantinupoleos (Bonn 1988), pp Müller-Wiener, W., Bildlexikon zur Topographie Istanbuls (Tübingen 1977), pp ; Berger, A., Untersuchungen zu den Patria Konstantinupoleos (Bonn 1988), pp Janin, R., Constantinople byzantine (Paris ), pp ; Müller-Wiener, W., Bildlexikon zur Topographie Istanbuls (Tübingen 1977), pp ; Dagron, G., Naissance d'une capitale. Constantinople et ses institutions de 330 à 451 (Paris ), pp Müller-Wiener, W., Bildlexikon zur Topographie Istanbuls (Tübingen 1977), pp Mango, C., Le dévelopment urbain urbain de Constantinople (IV e -VII e siècles) (Paris 1985), pp ; Berger, A., Die Alstadt von Byzanz in der vorjustinianischen Zeit, Varia 2 [= Ποικίλα Βυζαντινά 6 (1987)], pp. 9-30; Berger, A., Streets and Public Spaces in Constantinople, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 54 (2000), pp Zosimus, Historia Nova, II James, L., " 'Pray not to fall into temptation and be on your guard': Pagan statues in Christian Constantinople", Gesta 35.1 (1996), pp For antiquities in Late Antique Constantinople, see Basset S., The Urban Image of Late Antique Constantinople (Cambridge 2004). 16. Dagron, G., Constantinople imaginaire (Paris 1984), pp John Malalas, Chronographia, ed. L. Dindorf (CSHB, Bonn 1831), p Eusebius, Vita Constantini, ΙΙΙ, Dagron, G., Naissance d'une capitale. Constantinople et ses institutions de 330 à 451 (Paris ), pp Mango, C., Le dévelopment urbain urbain de Constantinople (IV e -VII e siècles) (Paris 1985), p. 27; Dagron, G., Naissance d'une capitale. Constantinople et ses institutions de 330 à 451 (Paris ), pp , with earlier bibliography. See also Dark, K. and Özgümüş, F., New Evidence for the Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles, Oxford Journal of Archaeology 21 (2002), pp Βιβλιογραφία : Müller-Wiener W., Bildlexikon zur Topographie Istanbuls, Byzantion Konstantinupolis Istanbul bis zum Beginn d. 17. Jhs., Tübingen 1977 Dagron G., Constantinople imaginaire. Études sur le recueil des Patria, Paris 1984 Basset S., The Urban Image of Late Antique Constantinople, Cambridge 2004 Guberti Basset S., "The Antiquities in the Hippodrome in Constantinople", Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 45, 1991, Mango C., Le développement urbain de Constantinople (IVe-VIIe siècles), 2, Paris 1985, Travaux et Mémoires, Monographies 2 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/7/2017 Σελίδα 4/6

5 Για παραπομπή : Μαρίνης Βασίλειος, "", Janin R., Constantinople byzantine. Développement urbain et répertoire topographique, 2, Paris 1964 Berger A., Untersuchungen zu den Patria Konstantinupoleos, Bonn 1988, Ποικίλα Βυζαντινά 8 Berger A., "Die Alstadt von Byzanz in der vorjustinianischen Zeit", Varia 2, 1987, Ποικίλα Βυζαντινά 6, 9-30 Berger A., "Streets and Public Spaces in Constantinople", Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 54, 2000, Dagron G., Naissance d une capitale. Constantinople et ses institutions de 330 à 451, 2, Paris 1984 Δικτυογραφία : Review: Sarah Bassett, The Urban Image of Late Antique Constantinople Streets and Public Spaces in Constantinople Γλωσσάριo : agora, the The term initially meant the gathering of the people. During historical times this gathering was called ecclesia and the word agora meant the public space where citizens gathered. The agora consists of commercial and religious buildings as well as constructions of political character. basilica In ancient Roman architecture a large oblong type building used as hall of justice and public meeting place. The roman basilica served as a model for early Christian churches. Πηγές Paschoud, Fr. (ed.), Zosime. Histoire Nouvelle, 1 (Paris 1971) Patria Constantinoupoleos, ed. Preger, Th., Scriptores originum Constantinopolitanarum I (Leipzig 1907, repr. New York 1975) Bright, W. (ed.), Socrates' ecclesiastical history (Oxford ) Dindorf, L. (ed.), Ioannis Malalae Chronographia (Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1831) Dindorf, L. (ed.), Chronicon Paschale I (Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1832) Notitia Urbis Constantinopolitanae, in O. Seeck (ed.), Notitia dignitatum (Berlin 1876, repr. 1962) Παραθέματα Constantinople under Constantine I, according to Zosimus Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἀρχαῖον τῆς πόλεως μέγεθος τοῦτο ἦν ἀγορὰν δὲ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ καθ ὃν ἡ πύλη τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἦν οἰκοδομήσας κυκλοτερῆ, καὶ στοαῖς διστέγοις ταύτην περιλαβών, ἁψῖδας δύο μαρμάρου Προκοννησίου μεγίστας ἀλλήλων ἀντίας ἀπετύπωσε, δι ὧν ἔνεστιν εἰσιέναι τε εἰς τὰς Σεβήρου στοὰς καὶ τῆς πάλαι πόλεως ἐξιέναι πολλῷ δὲ μείζονα τὴν πόλιν ἀποφῆναι βουλόμενος, τοῦ πάλαι τείχους ἐπέκεινα σταδίοις πεντεκαίδεκα τείχει περιέβαλε τὴν πόλιν ἀπολαμβάνοντι πάντα τὸν ἰσθμὸν ἀπὸ θαλάσσης εἰς θάλασσαν. Τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ πολλῷ μείζονα τῆς προτέρας ἀποτελέσας, καὶ βασίλεια κατεσκεύασεν οὐ πολλῷ <τῶν> τῆς Ῥώμης ἐλάττονα καὶ τὸν ἱππόδρομον εἰς ἅπαν ἐξήσκησε κάλλος, τὸ τῶν Διοσκούρων ἱερὸν μέρος αὐτοῦ ποιησάμενος, ὧν καὶ τὰ δείκηλα μέχρι νῦν Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/7/2017 Σελίδα 5/6

6 Για παραπομπή : Μαρίνης Βασίλειος, "", ἔστιν ἐπὶ τῶν τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου στοῶν ἑστῶτα ἰδεῖν ἔστησεν δὲ κατά τι τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου μέρος καὶ τὸν τρίποδα τοῦ ἐν Δελφοῖς Ἀπόλλωνος, ἔχοντα ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος ἄγαλμα. Οὔσης δὲ ἐν τῷ Βυζαντίῳ μεγίστης ἀγορᾶς τετραστόου, κατὰ τὰς τῆς μιᾶς στοᾶς ἄκρας, εἰς ἣν ἀνάγουσιν οὐκ ὀλίγοι βαθμοί, ναοὺς ᾠκοδομήσατο δύο, ἐγκαθιδρύσας ἀγάλματα, θατέρῳ μὲν μητρὸς θεῶν Ῥέας, ὅπερ ἔτυχον οἱ σὺν Ἰάσονι πλεύσαντες ἱδρυσάμενοι κατὰ τὸ Δίνδυμον ὄρος τὸ Κυζίκου τῆς πόλεως ὑπερκείμενον φασὶν δὲ ὡς καὶ τοῦτο διὰ τὴν περὶ τὸ θεῖον ἐλωβήσατο ῥᾳθυμίαν, τούς τε παρ ἑκάτερα λέοντας περιελὼν καὶ τὸ σχῆμα τῶν χειρῶν ἐναλλάξας. Κατέχειν γὰρ πάλαι δοκοῦσα τοὺς λέοντας νῦν εἰς εὐχομένης μεταβέβληται σχῆμα, τὴν πόλιν ἐφορῶσα καὶ περιέπουσα ἐν δὲ θατέρῳ Ῥώμης ἱδρύσατο Τύχην κατασκευάσας δὲ οἰκίας τισὶν τῶν ἐκ τῆς γερουσίας ἀκολουθήσασιν αὐτῷ... Zosimus, II , ed. Paschoud, Fr., Zosime. Histoire Nouvelle, 1 (Paris 1971), pp Constantine I adorns his new capital, according to the Chronicon Paschale καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν, ἀναπληρώσας καὶ τὸ Ἱππικόν, κοσμήσας αὐτὸ χαλκουργήμασι καὶ πάσῃ ἀρετῇ, ποιήσας ἐν αὐτῷ κάθισμα θεωρίου βασιλικοῦ καθ ὁμοιότητα τοῦ ἐν Ῥώμῃ ὄντος. καὶ παλάτιον μέγαποιήσας πλησίον τοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἱππικοῦ τὴν ἄνοδον ἀπὸ τοῦ παλατίου εἰς τὸ κάθισμα τοῦ Ἱππικοῦ διὰ τοῦ λεγομένου Κοχλίου, κτίσας καὶ φόρον μέγαν καὶ εὐπρεπῆ πάνυ καὶ ἔστησεν ἐν μέσῳ κίονα πορφυροῦν μέγαν λίθου Θηβαίου ἀξιοθαύμαστον, καὶ ὑπεράνω τοῦ αὐτοῦ κίονος ἔστησεν ἑαυτοῦ ἀνδριάντα μέγαν, ἔχοντα ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ αὐτοῦ ἀκτῖνας, ὅπερ χαλκούργημα ἤγαγεν ἀπὸ τῆς Φρυγίας [...] Ὁ αὐτὸς βασιλεὺς ἔκτισε καὶ δύο ἐμβόλους ἀπὸ τῆς εἰσόδου τοῦ παλατίου ἕως τοῦ φόρου εὐπρεπεῖς, κοσμήσας ἀνδριᾶσι καὶ μαρμάροις, καλέσας τὸν τόπον τῶν ἐμβόλων Ῥηγίαν, κτίσας ἐγγὺς καὶ βασιλικὴν ἔχουσαν κόγχην, καὶ ἔξω μεγάλους κίονας στήσας καὶ ἀνδριάντας, ἥνπερ ἐκάλεσεν Σενᾶτον, καλέσας τὸν τόπον Αὐγουσταῖον, καθότι καὶ στήλην ἦν στήσας κατέναντι τῆς ἰδίας αὐτοῦ μητρὸς Ἑλένης Αὐγούστας δεσποίνης ἐν πορφυρῷ κίονι. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὸ δημόσιον τὸ λεγόμενον Ζεύξιππον ἀνεπλήρωσεν, κοσμήσας κίοσι καὶ μαρμάροις ποικίλοις καὶ χαλκουργήμασιν. Dindorf, L. (ed.), Chronicon Paschale I (CSHB, Bonn 1832), pp Foundation of Constantinople according to Chronicon Paschale In the time of the aforementioned consuls, Constantine the celebrated emperor departed from Rome, and, while staying at Nicomedia metropolis of Bithynia, made visitations for a long time to Byzantium. He renewed the first wall of the city of Byzas, and after making considerable extensions also to the same wall he joined thee to the ancient wall of the city and named it Constantinople; he also completed the Hippodrome, adorning it with works in bronze and with every excellence, and made in it a box for imperial viewing in likeness of the one which is in Rome. And he made a great Palace near the same Hippodrome, by way of the Kochlias, as it is called. And he also built a forum which was large and exceedingly fine; and he set in the middle a great porphyry column of the ban stone worthy of admiration, and he set on top of the same column a great statue of himself with rays of light on his head, a work in bronze which he had brought from Phrygia. The same emperor Constantine secretly took away from Rome the Palladium, as it is called, and placed it in the Forum built by him, beneath the column of his monument, as certain of the Byzantines say who have heard it by tradition. And after making bloodless sacrifice, he named the Tyche [the guardian spirit] of the city renewed by him Anthusa. Chronicon Paschale, tr. M and M Whitby, Liverpool 1989, p [translation of Dindorf, L. (ed.), Chronicon Paschale I (CSHB, Bonn 1832), pp ] Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/7/2017 Σελίδα 6/6