Vol. Ill- MifielianU Curiqfit. 



the Yeax' of Chriit 130, when Adrian made 

 his Progrefs through Syria into Egypt, And 

 that Magnificent Emperor being highly de- 

 lighted with the native Strength and Situ- 

 ation of the Place, vVas pleafed to adorn and. 

 rebuild it : When, as 'tis likely, he bellowed 

 on it the Privileges of a Colony; Juris Italid^ 

 which it enjoyed fas aflures us.) And 



the Inhabitants of the City, in Gratitude, 

 were willing to call themfelves HadrianopoJit^^ 



amKTi^ei^rm croAs^y? <aii t« AyTm^irop©- ( fayS 



Stefhanm,) Nor is it unlikely that many of 

 thofe Marble Pillars were the Gift of that 

 ^Emperor, and particularly thofe of the Long 

 Porticus ^ for that none of the Infcriptions 

 are before that Date. And it was ui^jal for 

 the Ccefars to prefent Cities that had obliged 

 them, with Marble Pillars to adorn their 

 Publick Buildings. Thefe here were not far 

 to fetch, the Neighbouring Mountains af-* 

 fording Marble-Quarries : But the Magnitude 

 of the Porphyry Columns is indeed very re- 

 markable , confidering how far thofe vait 

 Stones muft have been brought by Land-* 

 carriage to this Place it being not knov/ii 

 that any other Qjiarries yield it, except thofe 

 of ££yp^-) which lie about mid-way between 

 Cairo and Sie?7a^ between the Nile and the 

 RedSea : The Stone being very valuable for 

 its Colour and Hardnefs, and fo that it ri- 

 fes in Blocks of any magnitude required 5, 



Qiiantijlibet inolihtis c^dendi^s fujfiCturn L^pidici-- 



(Pli?7. lib. 36.) And it is a great millakc? 

 of thofe who fuppofe it fiditious. 



From the time of Adria?i to that of Au^ 

 rdran^ for about an hundred and forty Years^ 



M 2 jhis 



