DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24719#0026
10
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE.
Ecclesiastical architecture from the time of Constantine to that of Justinian partook of
certain principles of Eoman art. It was by the erection of churches especially that Con-
stantine desired to manifest his faith. Those churches which he built at Rome were on the
basilican plan; that is to say, they had nave and aisles divided hy columns, surmounted, not
by arcades but by an architrave. Ciampini informs us that in the first basilica of St. Peter
at Rome the columns were crowned by an architrave; this is also the case in the church of
St. John Studius at Constantinople. The first churches built at Constantinople were on a
similar plan. The first church of St. Sophia was of oblong form, — <ipofxixcS rryjjxa-n (like a
stadium) say the Greek historians,1 — and was covered with a wooden roof.
The emperor also built the church of St. Agathonice, that of St. Acacia, and that of the
Holy Apostles, with the assistance of his mother. This latter was of an oblong form, and
the nave had a ceiling ornamented with caissons of wood.2 *
Amongst the edifices built by Constantine we may mention also the church of St. Irene,
the palace of Chalca, thus named because it was covered with bronze tiles; the palace of
Magnaura, the portico Sigma, and the bath called Pellucidum, because it was lighted by means
of slabs of alabaster {naTOTvrpov Aourpo'v). There was in it a basin for swimmers, ornamented with
statues, where were seven seats named after the seven planets, and twelve porticos, which called
to mind the temperature of the twelve months of the year.
We may conclude that the impatience of Constantine to complete his new capital in so short
a space of time had not afforded the architects time to study these new edifices thoroughly.
The materials for them were partly obtained from the ruins of ancient cities, where blocks of
marble, and especially columns, were found in abundance.
But it was not sufficient to erect, — it was necessary also to people the new capital. Codinus
relates an ingenious method employed by the emperor for this purpose.s He summoned the
Roman senators to Constantinople, and in the meanwhile he sent architects to Rome to make
plans of their town and country mansions. On their return, he caused houses to he erected at
Constantinople similar to those that the senators had occupied at Rome. When they were com-
pleted, the emperor asked the senators if they were inclined to go home to sleep. “ It will
take us two months to join our families,” they replied. “ I will conduct you to your own houses
this very evening,” said the emperor. He ordered Philoxenes, his chamberlain, to make ready
the houses for the reception of their new occupants. “ When the senators recognized their
doors, their courts, their staircases, the forms and dimensions of windows like those at Rome,
and when they beheld their families come out to meet them, they believed themselves to be in
Rome again, and returned thanks for the attentions of the emperor; hut in return for these
benefits each one of them was charged to found a public establishment, similar to the hospitia
for the sick, or the xenodocliia for strangers.”
Constantine allowed many pagan temples to remain in ancient Byzantium, and shut his
eyes to the ceremonies performed in them. Although historians relate that he abolished pagan
superstitions,4 yet for the most part the ordinances issued for their abolition were not carried
out, above all in the provinces. Still the treasures of the temples were no longer safe. Every
day some taxgatherer appeared, and under one pretext or another carried off the most valuable
shrines; the new Christians were not long in imitating the taxgatherers, and by degrees the
wood from the roofs and doors followed the sln’ines.
Constantine issued edicts which assured the independent existence of the Christian Church,
giving it an incontestable supremacy to all that related to pagan worship. He caused all the
inheritances of Christians since the period of the last persecution to be revised, and wherever
it was found that there was no relation living to receive the property left by the martyr,
the Church became heir; the collectors of revenue were compelled to yield up for the use of
the Church all the lands, houses, or goods of which Christians had been unlawfully dispossessed;
and lastly, funds were supplied from the royal treasury for the erection of new churches in
towns where there was not sufficient wealth for the purpose.0
The dissensions caused in the Church by the Arian schism brought about the Council of
Is ice, at which were assembled all the most eminent prelates of the Christian world. The
emperor, who had not yet been baptized, was admitted into the circle of the Council. We do
1 Codinus, cle Orig. C. P. KtovaravTiviac Ay/a 2o0/a. 4 Kai ra tuiv EWi/rwy airavra KadtiXt QpgvmcivpiaTa.—Id.,
2 Const. Christ., book ii. sect. 4; Codinus, book I. sect. 8, p. 7. ibid.
Codinus, Ant. C. P., x. s Eusebius, Life of Constantine, book ii. ch. 39—41.
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF BYZANTINE ARCHITECTURE.
Ecclesiastical architecture from the time of Constantine to that of Justinian partook of
certain principles of Eoman art. It was by the erection of churches especially that Con-
stantine desired to manifest his faith. Those churches which he built at Rome were on the
basilican plan; that is to say, they had nave and aisles divided hy columns, surmounted, not
by arcades but by an architrave. Ciampini informs us that in the first basilica of St. Peter
at Rome the columns were crowned by an architrave; this is also the case in the church of
St. John Studius at Constantinople. The first churches built at Constantinople were on a
similar plan. The first church of St. Sophia was of oblong form, — <ipofxixcS rryjjxa-n (like a
stadium) say the Greek historians,1 — and was covered with a wooden roof.
The emperor also built the church of St. Agathonice, that of St. Acacia, and that of the
Holy Apostles, with the assistance of his mother. This latter was of an oblong form, and
the nave had a ceiling ornamented with caissons of wood.2 *
Amongst the edifices built by Constantine we may mention also the church of St. Irene,
the palace of Chalca, thus named because it was covered with bronze tiles; the palace of
Magnaura, the portico Sigma, and the bath called Pellucidum, because it was lighted by means
of slabs of alabaster {naTOTvrpov Aourpo'v). There was in it a basin for swimmers, ornamented with
statues, where were seven seats named after the seven planets, and twelve porticos, which called
to mind the temperature of the twelve months of the year.
We may conclude that the impatience of Constantine to complete his new capital in so short
a space of time had not afforded the architects time to study these new edifices thoroughly.
The materials for them were partly obtained from the ruins of ancient cities, where blocks of
marble, and especially columns, were found in abundance.
But it was not sufficient to erect, — it was necessary also to people the new capital. Codinus
relates an ingenious method employed by the emperor for this purpose.s He summoned the
Roman senators to Constantinople, and in the meanwhile he sent architects to Rome to make
plans of their town and country mansions. On their return, he caused houses to he erected at
Constantinople similar to those that the senators had occupied at Rome. When they were com-
pleted, the emperor asked the senators if they were inclined to go home to sleep. “ It will
take us two months to join our families,” they replied. “ I will conduct you to your own houses
this very evening,” said the emperor. He ordered Philoxenes, his chamberlain, to make ready
the houses for the reception of their new occupants. “ When the senators recognized their
doors, their courts, their staircases, the forms and dimensions of windows like those at Rome,
and when they beheld their families come out to meet them, they believed themselves to be in
Rome again, and returned thanks for the attentions of the emperor; hut in return for these
benefits each one of them was charged to found a public establishment, similar to the hospitia
for the sick, or the xenodocliia for strangers.”
Constantine allowed many pagan temples to remain in ancient Byzantium, and shut his
eyes to the ceremonies performed in them. Although historians relate that he abolished pagan
superstitions,4 yet for the most part the ordinances issued for their abolition were not carried
out, above all in the provinces. Still the treasures of the temples were no longer safe. Every
day some taxgatherer appeared, and under one pretext or another carried off the most valuable
shrines; the new Christians were not long in imitating the taxgatherers, and by degrees the
wood from the roofs and doors followed the sln’ines.
Constantine issued edicts which assured the independent existence of the Christian Church,
giving it an incontestable supremacy to all that related to pagan worship. He caused all the
inheritances of Christians since the period of the last persecution to be revised, and wherever
it was found that there was no relation living to receive the property left by the martyr,
the Church became heir; the collectors of revenue were compelled to yield up for the use of
the Church all the lands, houses, or goods of which Christians had been unlawfully dispossessed;
and lastly, funds were supplied from the royal treasury for the erection of new churches in
towns where there was not sufficient wealth for the purpose.0
The dissensions caused in the Church by the Arian schism brought about the Council of
Is ice, at which were assembled all the most eminent prelates of the Christian world. The
emperor, who had not yet been baptized, was admitted into the circle of the Council. We do
1 Codinus, cle Orig. C. P. KtovaravTiviac Ay/a 2o0/a. 4 Kai ra tuiv EWi/rwy airavra KadtiXt QpgvmcivpiaTa.—Id.,
2 Const. Christ., book ii. sect. 4; Codinus, book I. sect. 8, p. 7. ibid.
Codinus, Ant. C. P., x. s Eusebius, Life of Constantine, book ii. ch. 39—41.