www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Seven Hills

This is probably a dumb question, but curiosity has gotten to me. While reading a history of Byzantine iconography, there was a line stating that Constantinople was built on seven hills as was Rome. Is this true?

Loretta

Dear Loretta,

Yes, this was part of Byzantium's "founding mythology" and was also that of Kyiv's.

The seven hills represented the fullness of Divine grace and blessing in a geographical setting . . .

Alex

Dear Loretta:


It's not a myth: Constantinople, "New Rome," WAS built on 7 hills, like Old Rome, complete with beautiful Churches, palaces, castles, and other necessary government buildings.

The imperial architects and builders of New Rome were bent to equal, if not surpass, the beauty and grandeur of Old Rome.

AmdG

Dear Amado,

Why is everyone so sensitive around here lately?

"Myth" in this context is not something that isn't true, but is something that establishes a tradition of founding on a spiritual basis i.e. "seven" referring to the spiritual number seven of the bible et al.

Apart from the fact that these cities were founded on seven actual hills, their spiritual significance was derived from that fact.

Whether or not one may derive spiritual significance from "seven" anything is part of the "Myth" of the tradition associated with it.

Sheesh!

Alex

Alex is right; in its strictest sense "myth" does NOT mean "untrue" but rather the basic, interior, deep-seated beliefs of a group of people.

In Christ,

anastasios

anastasios:

The context under which Loretta's query was posed was whether it is true that Constantinople was built on 7 hills like Old Rome.

I think it was a question of FACT.

To answer a question of fact with a mythological reference is not technically correct. Myths are never true; they are fiction or fictitious figments of the imagination.

At best, myths are half-truths or they are based more on convenience or on contrived tradition than on fact.

AmdG

Dear Amado,

Myths are not "half-truths" but "extended interpretations of events" etc.

I agree with our esteemed resident Scholar and Theologian, Anastasios the Seminarian.

You would do well to listen to him . . .

Alex

Amado,

NO! You are wrong. Myths CAN be true. Myth does NOT mean "fairy tale". For instance, the belief in creation by God is a "myth" which is true.

One definition of myth is: "myth

n : a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people

"

anastasios

Dear Anastasios,

Well, that is the sociological understanding of myth and its power to define and give social direction.

Do they teach you that at St Vlad's or did you come up with that through private study?

Alex

Thank you all twice.

First in response to my question.

Second for the explanation of "myth" ... I didn't know that.

Loretta