Unlike Gyllius, Du Cange was unable to accept the loose interpretation given to the Greek phrase referring to the Hebdomon. He insisted on what he believed to be its correct and only proper meaning. According to Du Cange, the name “Hebdomon” was directly connected to distance and could only refer to the seventh milestone from the city of Constantinople. In this strict sense, the word meant “the seventh mile,” and nothing else.
Du Cange therefore agreed with the traditional understanding that the suburb took its name from its position near the seventh milestone measured from the capital. On this essential point, he clearly rejected Gyllius’s earlier attempt to explain the name as merely the seventh suburb in a numbered series Tour Guide Sofia.
An Unexpected Agreement with Gyllius
Yet, despite this firm disagreement, Du Cange reached a conclusion that brought him, surprisingly, into substantial agreement with Gyllius. The basis of Du Cange’s argument was the idea that the term “Hebdomon” was used in two different ways. In its strict and original sense, it referred specifically to the seventh mile. However, he argued that over time the same name was also applied more broadly to a larger district.
According to Du Cange, this district stretched from the Wall of Constantine all the way to the seventh milestone. As a result, the Hebdomon was not just a single point on the road, but a wide suburban area. When the Theodosian Walls were later constructed, a significant part of this area was enclosed within the new city boundaries. For this reason, Du Cange believed it was still possible for the Hebdomon to be located roughly where Gyllius had placed it.
The Church of St. John the Baptist
Although Du Cange supported Gyllius in general terms, he did not accept all of his conclusions. In particular, he rejected the identification of the Church of St. John at Kesme Kaya with the famous Church of St. John the Baptist at the Hebdomon. Du Cange pointed out that Constantine Porphyrogenitus clearly described the latter church as standing outside the city walls in the tenth century A Misguided Search for the Hebdomon.
This detail was crucial. Since the Church of St. John at Kesme Kaya lay within the Theodosian Walls, it could not be the same building mentioned by Constantine. Therefore, Du Cange concluded that Gyllius had mistaken one church for another simply because they shared the same dedication.
Location of the Church within the Hebdomon
At the same time, Du Cange did not accept the idea that the Church of St. John the Baptist stood near the seventh milestone itself. In keeping with his broader understanding of the Hebdomon as an extended district, he believed the church was located somewhere within that area but close to the Theodosian Walls. Thus, it remained outside the city, yet not far from it.
This position allowed Du Cange to maintain both the traditional meaning of the name and his theory of a wide suburban zone.
Tekfour Serai and the Palace of the Magnaura
Du Cange also differed from Gyllius in the importance he assigned to Tekfour Serai. He regarded this building as a major clue to the location of the Hebdomon. Du Cange identified Tekfour Serai with the Palace of the Magnaura, one of the most famous structures associated with the suburb.
By emphasizing Tekfour Serai, Du Cange strengthened his belief that the Hebdomon lay close to the Theodosian Walls rather than far away at the actual seventh milestone.
In summary, Du Cange rejected Gyllius’s interpretation of the name “Hebdomon,” yet adopted a theory that ultimately led him to a similar geographical conclusion. His attempt to balance linguistic accuracy with historical geography produced a complex explanation, which, while more cautious than that of Gyllius, still raised serious questions about the true extent and location of the Hebdomon.
