Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor: Series One and Series Two in one VolumeWalsh, R. (Robert)
History
Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor: Series One and Series Two in one Volume
Walsh, R. (Robert)
Istanbul (Turkey) -- History; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Pictorial works
The family of Constantine ended with Julian, and, as the first had
endeavoured to establish Christianity as the religion of this new
capital of the world, so the last had endeavoured to eradicate it.
But his successor Jovian set himself to repair the injury. He was
with Julian’s army at the time of his defeat and death, and with
great courage and conduct extricated it from the difficulties with
which it was surrounded. He immediately proclaimed the restoration of
Christianity, and, as the most decided and speedy way of circulating
his opinions, he had its emblems impressed on his first coinage. He is
there represented following on horseback the standard of the Cross, as
Constantine had done, and so was safely led out of similar danger. He
caused new temples to be raised to Christian worship, with tablets or
inscriptions importing the cause of their erection, some of which still
continue in their primitive state. He reigned only eight months; but
even that short period was sufficient to revive a faith so connected
with human happiness, and so impressed on the human heart, that little
encouragement was required to call it forth every where into action.
From the time of Jovian, Christianity remained the unobstructed
religion of Constantinople; but an effort was made in the reign of
Theodosius to revive paganism in the old city of Rome. The senate, who
had a tendency to the ancient worship, requested that the altar of
Victory, which was removed, might be restored; and an attempt was made
to recall the Egyptian deities. On this occasion, the emperor issued
the memorable decree, that “no one should presume to worship an idol by
sacrifice.” The globe had been a favourite emblem of his predecessors,
surmounted with symbols of their families, some with an eagle, some
with a victory, and some with a phœnix; but Theodosius removed them,
and placed a cross upon it, intimating the triumph of Christianity over
the whole earth; and this seems to have been the origin of the globe
and cross, which many Christian monarchs, as well as our own, use at
their coronations. From this time, heathen mythology sunk into general
contempt, and was expelled from the city of Constantinople, where the
inquisitive minds of cultivated men had detected its absurdities: it
continued to linger yet a while longer, among the _pagi_, or villages
of the country, and its professors were for that reason called
_pagani_, or pagans, a name by which they are known at this day. The
Christian city had so increased, that it was necessary to enlarge its
limits. Theodosius ran a new wall outside the former, from sea to sea,
which took within its extent the seventh or last hill. The whole was
now enclosed by three walls, including a triangular area, of which old
Byzantium was the apex. Two of its walls were washed by the waters of
the Propontis and the Golden Horn, and the third separated the city
from the country, the whole circuit being twelve miles. These walls,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account