Palace of Lausus

The Palace of Lausus or Lausos, also known as the Lauseion (Greek: Λαυσεῖον), was a 5th-century building located in Constantinople that was acquired and owned by the eunuch Lausus.

Lausus, who had formerly served as a eunuch in the court of Theodosius II, became the imperial chamberlain sometime around 420. He was described in a letter by the bishop of Caesarea as being charitable to the poor, but also being very wealthy and owning a fine estate. Whilst he is reported to have lost his position as imperial chamberlain to Macrobius only two years after promotion, he may have regained the title ten years or so later following recommendation by Cyril of Alexandria, re-establishing his wealth.

The Palace of Lausus was renowned throughout Constantinople for the vast collection of heroic and mythological statues that its owner housed within its walls. Lausus amassed this huge collection from eastern temples that were being sacked and emptied during the reign of Theodosius – and, as such, his collection was likely the most diverse to have existed in Constantinople at the time. Lausus' collection of pagan statues was the first that was dispassionately assembled on purely aesthetic and historical grounds, even though he was reportedly a devout Christian. Foremost amongst his collection was the statue of Zeus from Olympia carved by Phidias in circa 500 BC and Praxiteles' Aphrodite of Cnidus. Lausus is also known to have owned the Hera of Samos and the Athena of Lindos, as well as statues of both Eros and Kairos. Reports indicate that Lausus had arranged his collection in a certain order. The aforementioned statue of Zeus was located in an apse at the far end of the hall, with Eros and Kairos at his side. One wall was dedicated to sculptures of goddesses, the other of animals.

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