Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

secular architecture 933
Incorporated into the porticoes of city streets were offices or shops
(Figs. 46–7), workshops and housing for artisans, all combined under one
roof. These parallel oblong units occupied the space behind the back walls
of the porticoes on to which they opened. Facing one side of the Embolos
at Ephesus were twelve rectangular vaulted shops and workshops with
rooms above, serving as living-quarters for the artisans. At Sardis, similar
two-storeyed ergasteria (for glassmakers, dyers, ironmongers) formed one
side of the porticoed street running beside the Roman bath–gymnasium.
Some units at Sardis served as restaurants and a wine shop; others may have
been used as residences only. 19
(b) Administrative buildings
In the fifth and sixth century, imperial administration was sited in the
palaces of Ravenna and Constantinople (see below). Next to nothing is
known of the architecture of the offices of the prefects. At Rome, that of
the praefectus urbi was restored in 408/23. At Constantinople (Fig. 40) the
residence (see below) and offices of the praetorian prefect (who had a staff
of 2,000) were situated by the Forum of Leo; one of its five scrinia (departments
dealing with Constantinople, Europe, Asia, Pontus and Oriens) was
located by the ‘middle entrance’, while its judicial archives were housed
behind the kathisma of the Hippodrome, inside the imperial palace. The
offices and, presumably, praetoria of the urban prefect and master of offices
were on the Mese and inside the imperial palace, respectively. 20
At Caesarea in Palestine a government complex built 560–614 included an
archive building and, apparently, a governor’s palace and bath (c. 550–640).
The archive building, identified by inscription as an imperial office (skrinion),
held accounts for the tax payments from the province; the simple square
structure is divided into a large entrance hall and seven rooms (Fig. 46).
Justinianic military headquarter buildings (principia) have been tentatively
identified at Justiniana Prima (Fig. 41) and Zenobia. What is considered the
fortified headquarters of the dux of Cyrenaica stood on the cardo at
Ptolemais, and another building nearby, restored possibly by a governor, has
a suite of offices in addition to living-quarters. Two offices (secreta) decorated
in mosaic survive from the Patriarchal Palace at Constantinople, constructed
on the south side of St Sophia by Justin II (565–78) (Fig. 43). A two-storeyed
episcopal audience hall survives on the north side of the cathedral atrium at
Porec/Parenzo. Like the imperial palace, the residences of governors, duces
and bishops (see below) may have contained administrative offices. 21
19 Ephesus: Foss (1979) 73–4; Sardis: Stephens-Crawford (1990).
20 Rome: Ward-Perkins, Public Building 42–3; Constantinople: Mango, Studies on Constantinople i.124,
Addenda, 1–3.
21 Caesarea: Holum (1988) 68–71; Ptolemais: Kraeling (1962) 140–60; Constantinople: Mango
(1959) 52–6; Porec/Parenzo: Krautheimer, Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture 196–7.
Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press, 2008