Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 6 (1897).djvu/96

 76 THE DECLINE AND FALL dence, was fixed during eleven centuries to the same position, between the hippodrome, the cathedral of St. Sophia, and the gardens, which descended by many a terrace to the shores of the Propontis. The primitive edifice of the first Constantine was a copy or rival of ancient Rome ; the gradual improvements of his successors aspired to emulate the wonders of the old world, -^'^ and in the tenth century the Byzantine palace excited the admiration, at least of the Latins, by an unquestionable pre-eminence of strength, size, and magnificence. 2* But tlie toil and treasure of so many ages had produced a vast and irregular pile ; each separate building was marked with the character of the times and of the founder ; and the want of space might excuse the reigning monarch who demolished, perhaps with secret satisfaction, the works of his predecessors. The economy of the emperor Theophilus allowed a more free and ample scope for his domestic luxury and splendour. A favourite ambassador, who had astonisiied the Abbassides them- selves by his pride and liberality, presented on his return the model of a palace, which the caliph of Bagdad had recently ages. Never has laborious Germany produced two antiquarians more laborious and accurate than these two natives of lively France. [For recent works on the reconstruction of the Imperial Palace, based on the Ceremonies of Constantine Porphyrogennetos, see above, vol. 2, p. 546. All attempts to reconstruct the plan must be fanciful until the site is excavated. The following facts emerge as certain from the investigations of Labarte and Bieliaiev. There were two ways from the Chrysotriklinos (see below, n. 36) to the Hippodrome. By the northern part of the palace, the Emperor could reach the cathisma at the north of the Hippodrome ; but the (probably) shorter way led through the southern rooms of the palace, (a) the Lausiac triklinos and (i) the triklinos of Justinian {II.), commonly called "the Justinian". The Justinian opened into the Skyla (a vestibule), from which there was a door into the Hippodrome (eastern side) ; and, as the Justinian ran from east to west, we can conclude that the Chrysotriklinos. the chief throne-room of the Older Palace, with the adjoining private rooms of the Emperor, was east of the Hippodrome. The other way, which the Emperor followed when he went to St. Sophia or to the cathisma of the Hippodrome, led through the palace of Theo- philus (the Trikonchon, see below) and the palace of Daphne. We know the names of all the rooms, &c., through which he passed, but we have no clue to the direc- tion. We can only say that (i) all these palaces and halls were north of the Jus- tinian ; (2) the Trikonchon lay between the Gold Triklinos and the pal.ace of Daphne ; (3) the palace of Magnaura lay north of the palace of Daphne.] •'•^The Byzantine palace surpasses the Capitol, the palace of Pergamvis, the Rufinian wood (rjaiipbr dyaA^ia), the temple of Hadrian at Cyzicus, the Pyramids, the Pharus, &c. , according to an epigram (.A-ntholog. Grtec. 1. iv. p. 488, 489. Brodasi, apud Wechel) ascribed to Julian, ex-prasfect of Egypt. Seventy-one of his epigrams, some hvely, are collected in Brunck (.Analect. Grzec. tom. ii. p. 493- 510) ; but this is wanting. tudine, omnibus quas unquam viderani [/<y. perspexerim] munitionibus praestat (Liiitprand, Hist. 1. v. c. 9 ' = c. 21], p. 465).
 * • Conslantinopolitanum Palatium non pulchritudine solum, veruni etiam forti-