Forum of Arcadius

The Forum of Arcadius (Latin: Forum Arcadii, Greek: Φόρος τοῦ Ἀρκαδίου), was built by the Byzantine Emperor Arcadius in the city of Constantinople, now Istanbul.

Built in 403, it was built in the Xerolophos area and was the last forum before reaching the Constantinian city walls and the Golden Gate in a line of forums, including the Forum of Theodosius, the Forum of Constantine, the Forum Bovis, and the Forum Amastrianum, built westward from the city center along the Mese.

The Column of Arcadius, located in the center of the forum, was decorated with spiral bands of sculpture in bas-relief representing the triumphs of the emperor, like Trajan's Column in Rome. At the top of the column, which was more than 50m high, there was an enormous Corinthian capital surmounted by an equestrian statue of Arcadius, placed there in 421 by his son, Theodosius II. This statue was eventually toppled from the column and destroyed during an earthquake in 704. The column itself remained standing for another thousand years until it was deliberately demolished in 1715, when it appeared to be in imminent danger of collapsing on the neighboring houses. Now all that remains are the mutilated base and some fragments of sculpture from the column which are on display in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.

Forum of Arcadius in Agent of Byzantium

Basil Argyros became caught up in a riot which began in the Forum of Arcadius.

Argyros was returning home after praying at the Church of St. Mouamet. His route took him through the Forum where he noticed an Egyptian monk haranguing a crowd. As Argyros watched, the monk smashed an icon of Jesus, while advocating a dangerous new heresy. Fighting broke out between those in favor and opposed to icons until a company of excubitores arrived and indiscriminately beat down the rioters, including Argyros.