Thursday, May 22, 2008

Malalas on the Forum of "Valens"

Ioannis Malalae Chronographia translated by Ludwig August Dindorf, Edmund Chilmead, Ludwig Dindorf, Richard Bentley, Humphrey Hody:

"Valens autem cum exercitu suo Novembris x Indictione xiv chiam Syrian veniens ibi de pace cum Persis agendi causa commoratus est. Foedera autem firmavit in Septennium, Persis ei dimidiam Nisibis partem reddentibus. Valens autem situ urbis Antiochenae tum ob aërem tum ob aquas amoenissimo delectatus, Forum ibi, opus magnificum extruxit dissoluta usque ad Plethrium, Basilica, quae Caesarium olim tocata, juxta Horologium sita erat et Commodi Balneum, quod nunc Syriae Comitis Praetoriom conversum est. Concham quoque ejos înstauravit. Fornicatum item opus Parmenio torrent qui ex monte hiberno tempere scaturiens urbem percurrit médius superinduxit. Aliam quoque Basilicam extruxit e regione Balnei Commodiani. Insuper etiam Basilicas quatuor columnis ingentibus ïtaloniticis exornavit quarum tecta laquéala caelaturis, marmore vario, et musivo opère décorant Mesaulum quoque Parmenii fornicibus superitopositum marmore totum adornans Forum suum absolvit Quatuor etiam Basilicas ornamentis varus statuisque positis însignivit quarum in medio ingénu Columnae imposi tam fratris sui Valentiniani Imperatoris statuam collocavit. Statuam quoque aliam in Conchae Senaculo marmoream; tertiam insuper ex lapillis pretiosis, ad sedentis formam factam, in medio Basilicae in Concha positae eidem Imperatori Valentiniano dicavit. Duas etiam Çynegii Fundas extruxit quas etiam tecto superinductas sedibus complevit cum príus Monomachium fuisset. Balneum quoque Publicum, prope Circum extruxit; praeter alia etiam in eadem orbe admiranda plurima."

NB: Is the horologium mentioned in this excerpt the clepsydra at the law courts that we discussed earlier? Would seem to make sense in light of the number of basilica in the vicinity. Downey refers in his History of Antioch (pg 632-640), I believe rather erroneously, to the Horologion as a Temple of the Winds. I suspect that Downey is going rather circular here for he is looking at the Tower of the Winds in Athens (which was really a big astronomical clock) and using its misnomer as a rationale for a similar purpose edifice in Antioch being a "Temple of the Winds".

One can also note the mention of the conversion of the Commodion into the residence of the Count of the East. This clashes with the reports that it was the Museion that became his residence. It also seems strange to convert a baths (if that was what the Commodion was, though Malalas uses the word balneum) into a governor's palace.

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