Baths of Zeuxippos
The Baths of Zeuxippos were apparently rebuilt by Septimius Severus after he destroyed Byzantium in 196. They were later completed Constantine around 330, around the time Constantinople was inaugurated as his new capital. It was adorned with numerous ancient statues. The baths included shops and other business along the Mese, and the rent was used for the maintenance of the building.
Towards the end of the 5th century, parts of the bath are used to house prisoners. The building damaged in several fires in the area, but apparently restored each time. The baths and neighboring buildings were restored after being damaged by the Nika Riots in 532.
Parts of the bath functioned as a prison from the 8th century until the Palaiologian era. Imperial silk workshops were also active in the area of the baths starting the late 8th century.
During work around Sultan Ahmed Medrese, the remains of large vaulted rooms were discovered in 1925. Excavations in 1927-1928 revealed remains of walls from the 6th century, as well as statue bases, allowing for its identification.
Istanbul Archaeological Museums
Marble Relief with Nereid
4th century
Statue Base of Hecuba
Inscription EKABE
Statue Base
Gardens of Hagia Sophia
Statue Base of Aeschines
Inscription AICXHNHC (Aischines)
Head of A Statue
Commencement of excavation
Photo by David Talbot-Rice
Column in Building 1
Floor of re-used column fragments
Plan from Bassett
Sources
Müller-Wiener, Wolfgang. Bildlexikon zur Topographie Istanbuls: Byzantion, Konstantinupolis, Istanbul
Rice, Casson, and Hudson. Preliminary report upon the excavations carried out in the Hippodrome of Constantinople in 1927
Rice, Casson, and Hudson. Second Report upon the excavations carried out in and near the Hippodrome of Constantinople in 1928
E. Mamboury and T. Wiegand. Die Kaiserpalaste Von Konstantinopel Zwischen Hippodrom Und Marmara-Meer
Bassett, Sarah Guberti. The Urban Image of Late Antique Constantinople
Berger, Albrecht. The Statues of Constantinople
The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
Bassett, Sarah Guberti “Historiae custos: Sculpture and Tradition in the Baths of Zeuxippos”
Hedlund, Ragnar. “Byzantion, Zeuxippos, and Constantinople: the emergence of an imperial city”
Kaldellis, Anthony. “Christodoros on the statues of the Zeuxippus baths”
Mango, Cyril. “Antique Statuary and the Byzantine Beholder”
Stupperich, Reinhard. “Das Statuenprogramm in den Zeuxippos-Therme”
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