THE BATHS OF MAHOMET II.
159
The hot springs of Broussa were, however, frequented, towards the beginning of the 4th
century, and placed under the patronage of iEsculapius. We have no other information than
that derived from the legend of St. Patrick, as to the manner in which the baths were arranged,
nor as to what sort of a building covered the basin.
The waters of Broussa began to acquire a great reputation in the reign of Constantine.
That prince fell sick during his sojourn at Broussa; he was transported thence to the town of
Ancyra, where he died.
Prom this time the waters of Broussa became celebrated at Byzantium; Justinian caused
a splendid bathing establishment to be erected there : there was a palace and there were all
other edifices necessary for strangers; he caused cold water to be conveyed in a canal, in order
to temper the heat of the hot springs. Upon reference to Procopius, we find that the spot
whence the hot springs of Broussa issued bore the name of Pithya, and under Constantine
Porphyrogenitus, this name was changed into that of Soteropolis (the town of the Saviour), in
gratitude for the numerous cures that had been effected there.
Byzantine authors give us striking pictures of the grandeur of the equipages that accom-
panied the patricians of Byzantium when they went to the baths of Broussa. The empress
Theodora, wife of Justinian, proceeded in the year 525 to the waters of Broussa, with a cortege
composed of four thousand attendants, in litters resplendent with gold. The rheda, or covered
carriages containing the waiting women, formed a procession, of the nature of which we can
form some faint idea when we see that of the sultanas, who occasionally make the same
pilgrimage.
In the present day all the edifices that cover the hot springs are the work of the Turks,
but the arrangements and usages of the Romans and Byzantines have been retained. Those
who examine the details of a Turkish bath may imagine that they are looking at one of Roman
times, the arrangements are so similar. We give in the following chapter a comparison between
the baths of Mahomet II. at Constantinople and the thernue described by Vitruvius, from which
this striking conformity will be perceived.
THE BATHS OF MAHOMET II.
COMPARED WITH THE BATHS OE THE BYZANTINES.
TV E LT S A It IU S having been sent into Mauritania by Justinian to declare war against
U Gelimer, the latter, being attacked by Pharanus, and reduced for want of corn, wrote
thus to the emperor :—“ Send me some bread, a sponge, and a guitar (xiSapav).” The emperor,
astonished, demanded from his secretary the explanation of so singular a despatch. “ He asks
fora guitar,” said the scribe, “to console him under his misfortunes; a sponge to dry his tears,
and some bread to eat; for in the country of Mauritania they do not cultivate corn; the inha-
bitants only live upon olyra, prepared for food.” Whoever has eaten Icous-lcous with the Arabs
of Mauritania will understand this passage. Olyra is the hard corn (Triticum Spelt a) of
the Arabs, when made into kous-kous.
Thus a close observation of the inhabitants of eastern countries will enable us to under-
stand many facts relating to antiquity which commentators have but little explained. The
Biblical stories have ever living illustrations amongst the Arabs. Travellers are often struck
with the resemblance of the negresses of Bornou selling bread in the market-place of Algiers,
to certain Egyptian statues preserved in the museums. Their attitudes are identical; the head-
dress is the same; and their necklaces of glass, blue and white beads, slipped into the case of
a mummy, might deceive the practised eye of an antiquary.
If we look at Turkey, we find there a great many customs purely Byzantine adopted by
the Turks after their invasion. The name even of Constantinople — Istamboul — is a corruption
159
The hot springs of Broussa were, however, frequented, towards the beginning of the 4th
century, and placed under the patronage of iEsculapius. We have no other information than
that derived from the legend of St. Patrick, as to the manner in which the baths were arranged,
nor as to what sort of a building covered the basin.
The waters of Broussa began to acquire a great reputation in the reign of Constantine.
That prince fell sick during his sojourn at Broussa; he was transported thence to the town of
Ancyra, where he died.
Prom this time the waters of Broussa became celebrated at Byzantium; Justinian caused
a splendid bathing establishment to be erected there : there was a palace and there were all
other edifices necessary for strangers; he caused cold water to be conveyed in a canal, in order
to temper the heat of the hot springs. Upon reference to Procopius, we find that the spot
whence the hot springs of Broussa issued bore the name of Pithya, and under Constantine
Porphyrogenitus, this name was changed into that of Soteropolis (the town of the Saviour), in
gratitude for the numerous cures that had been effected there.
Byzantine authors give us striking pictures of the grandeur of the equipages that accom-
panied the patricians of Byzantium when they went to the baths of Broussa. The empress
Theodora, wife of Justinian, proceeded in the year 525 to the waters of Broussa, with a cortege
composed of four thousand attendants, in litters resplendent with gold. The rheda, or covered
carriages containing the waiting women, formed a procession, of the nature of which we can
form some faint idea when we see that of the sultanas, who occasionally make the same
pilgrimage.
In the present day all the edifices that cover the hot springs are the work of the Turks,
but the arrangements and usages of the Romans and Byzantines have been retained. Those
who examine the details of a Turkish bath may imagine that they are looking at one of Roman
times, the arrangements are so similar. We give in the following chapter a comparison between
the baths of Mahomet II. at Constantinople and the thernue described by Vitruvius, from which
this striking conformity will be perceived.
THE BATHS OF MAHOMET II.
COMPARED WITH THE BATHS OE THE BYZANTINES.
TV E LT S A It IU S having been sent into Mauritania by Justinian to declare war against
U Gelimer, the latter, being attacked by Pharanus, and reduced for want of corn, wrote
thus to the emperor :—“ Send me some bread, a sponge, and a guitar (xiSapav).” The emperor,
astonished, demanded from his secretary the explanation of so singular a despatch. “ He asks
fora guitar,” said the scribe, “to console him under his misfortunes; a sponge to dry his tears,
and some bread to eat; for in the country of Mauritania they do not cultivate corn; the inha-
bitants only live upon olyra, prepared for food.” Whoever has eaten Icous-lcous with the Arabs
of Mauritania will understand this passage. Olyra is the hard corn (Triticum Spelt a) of
the Arabs, when made into kous-kous.
Thus a close observation of the inhabitants of eastern countries will enable us to under-
stand many facts relating to antiquity which commentators have but little explained. The
Biblical stories have ever living illustrations amongst the Arabs. Travellers are often struck
with the resemblance of the negresses of Bornou selling bread in the market-place of Algiers,
to certain Egyptian statues preserved in the museums. Their attitudes are identical; the head-
dress is the same; and their necklaces of glass, blue and white beads, slipped into the case of
a mummy, might deceive the practised eye of an antiquary.
If we look at Turkey, we find there a great many customs purely Byzantine adopted by
the Turks after their invasion. The name even of Constantinople — Istamboul — is a corruption