▁with ▁sides ▁ 2 5 0 ▁m ▁and ▁ 3 0 0 ▁m ▁long . ▁According ▁to ▁one ▁source , ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁its ▁shape ▁was ▁still ▁recogn izable ▁as ▁an ▁empty ▁space ▁limited ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁by ▁ 7 - 8 ▁meters ▁high ▁terra ces . ▁According ▁to ▁others , ▁the ▁square ▁should ▁be ▁located ▁south - s out heast ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Mur at ▁P asha ▁Mos que . ▁In ▁the ▁By z antine ▁Age , ▁the ▁square ▁was ▁surrounded ▁by ▁port ico es ▁ad orn ed ▁with ▁bas - rel ief s ▁and ▁nich es ▁with ▁stat ues . ▁Part icular ly ▁not ew orth y ▁among ▁them ▁was ▁a ▁group ▁representing ▁Const antine ▁the ▁Great ▁and ▁his ▁mother ▁Hel ena ▁holding ▁their ▁hands ▁on ▁a ▁gold ▁pl ated ▁silver ▁cross , ▁a ▁composition ▁that ▁became ▁very ▁popular ▁in ▁By z antine ▁art . ▁ ▁Near ▁the ▁Forum ▁lay ▁also ▁the ▁Palace ▁of ▁Ele uther ios ▁( named ▁so ▁since ▁it ▁lay ▁in ▁the ▁By z antine ▁community ▁of ▁ta ▁Ele uther i ou ▁and ▁over look ed ▁the ▁har bour ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁name ▁on ▁the ▁Sea ▁of ▁Mar m ara ), ▁built ▁by ▁Em press ▁I rene ▁( r . ▁ 7 7 5 – 7 9 7 ), ▁and ▁a ▁bath ▁ere cted ▁under ▁The oph il os ▁( r . ▁ 8 1 3 – 8 4 2 ) ▁by ▁the ▁Pat ric ian ▁Nic et as . ▁The