Cistern of Mocius (Altımermer Çukurbostanı)

Cistern of Mocius
Altımermer Çukurbostanı

The Cistern of Mocius (Greek κινστέρνα του Μώκιου) was a huge Late Antique open-air water reservoir on the Seventh Hill of Byzantine Constantinople. Its name comes from the now-lost Church of St. Mocius located nearby. Like other surviving Byzantine open cisterns of modern Istanbul, it has served different functions over the centuries, notably being used as a “sunken” vegetable garden (Turkish Altımermer Çukurbostanı) by the Ottoman era. Its Turkish name, Altımermer (“Six Marbles”), name seems to refer to the Exakionion, a monument with six columns. It is now a park with various facilities, including numerous fountains, a football pitch, basketball courts, a playground, exercise equipment, and a municipal wellness center. It was recently renamed Findikzade Çukurbostan Park. The Cistern of Mocius is the largest of the three surviving intramural open cisterns.

History

The Cistern of Mocius was a large open cistern or reservoir built to store water. The squarish structure was situated on a flat area on one of the highest points of the Seventh Hill, which was also known as Xerolophos (Greek Ξηρόλοφος, “the Dry Hill”). An unreliable source mentions the Cistern of Mocius was built during the reign of Anastasius (491-518). A brickstamp recorded in situ seems to date to the late fifth or early sixth century perhaps confirms this date. It carries an eight indiction year that suggests a manufacture date of 499/500 or 514/15, though it may have been old stock used at a later date. Furthermore, its construction style, which is different from the open cisterns from the Theodosian era, shares features with the Anastasian Long Walls of Thrace.

The open cisterns of Aetius and Aspar were built in the context of Constantinople’s growth in size and population in the second half of the fourth and first half of the fifth century. Constantinople, unlike Rome, lacked a good water supply, which was increasingly a serious problem as the need for water grew in the second half of the fourth century. Water shortages began to be addressed when the Aqueduct of Valens, an extensive system bringing water from Thrace, was completed around 373. During the Theodosian era, numerous construction projects expanded the infrastructure of the imperial capital, with the Theodosian Walls significantly enlarging the city. As the city’s population continued to grow and there was an increased threat of barbarian attack, a major expansion of the city’s water storage was undertaken during their period. The Aqueduct of Valens was extended, eventually making it the longest aqueduct of the Roman world, bringing water from over 250 km away. By the mid-fifth century, there were at least eight imperial baths, four nymphaea, five cisterns, and over 150 private baths. The Cistern of Mocius and the Basilica Cistern were later construction projects that continued to address Constantinople’s need for water.

Amongst the new cisterns were the huge open reservoirs of Aetius and Aspar built in the new belt between the older Constantinian Walls and the new Theodosian Walls. While the supply line of the Aqueduct of Valens passed close to the open cistern of Aetius and Aspar, the water supply of the Cistern of Mocius is more problematic. Due to topography its supply line probably branched off before entering the city.

The Cistern of Mocius likely fell out of use when the Aqueduct of Valens was cut by the Avars during the Siege of Constantinople in 626. While the aqueduct was only restored over a century later during the reign of Constantine V in 766, it is unclear if the Cistern of Mocius was ever used to store water again. It is possible it was put to a new purpose by the Middle Byzantine era, such as gardens for growing vegetables. By the Ottoman era, the Cistern of Aetius was no longer used to store water and it began functioning as a çukurbostan (Turkish “sunken garden”) by the sixteenth century. Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi includes six marble columns by the reservoir among his list of talismans that protected the city. Three supposedly rid the city of flies, gnats, and storks. A figure of a wolf on one column protected sheep, while a rooster on another woke people earlier for the first prayer. The final two talismans were figures of a young embracing couple and an old man and woman that had positive or negative effects on lovers. These six marble columns, which gave the sunken garden its name, Altımermer Çukurbostanı, are recorded as lost by his time. A section of one of its walls collapsed due to an earthquake, perhaps in 1509. Wooden coffeehouses reportedly lined the edge of the reservoir during the Ottoman era. Two wells, measuring 14 m deep from the bottom of the reservoir, were recorded in the late 19th century. Slums, which were built there during the twentieth century, were later demolished. A park was built in the reservoir in 2012.

Also see, Cistern of Aspar and Cistern of Aetios

Architecture and Water Engineering

The Cistern of Mocius consists of a long rectangular excavated reservoir with four walls. It measures around 170 x 147 m and perhaps had a depth of 12 m. This suggests that it perhaps had a capacity of almost 300,000 m³ (80 million gallons) of water. However, it has also been argued that, for reasons of water pressure, it could have only withstood being filled to a depth of 9.5 m. Its walls are 6 m thick. The inner core of the wall consists of alternating bands of brick and mortared rubble faced large stone blocks. This is strikingly different from the facing of smaller stones and brick facing found at the cisterns of Aetius and Aspar. Conversely, the Cistern of Mocius has a construction style that can be compared to the Anastasian Long Walls of Thrace. It has internal beveled corners of the cistern, which strengthened the structure from the internal water pressure.

While the channel of the Aqueduct of Valens passed close to the open cistern of Aetius and the Aspar, the water supply of the Cistern of Mocius is more problematic. Due to the topography of the Cistern of Mocius, its supply line probably branched off before entering the city. An aqueduct, probably a water channel, is mentioned as being close to the Church of St. Mocius.

As these reservoirs were uncovered, its water would have been much less clean than that stored in closed cisterns. It has been proposed that there could have been a separate channel with poorer quality water that supplied large open cisterns. The writings of Frontinus and Vitruvius show that the Romans had water preferences based on taste and clarity, suggesting that the water from the open cistern would have been less desirable. The lower quality of the water, then, might have been used for industrial and agricultural purposes. This seems to be supported by their location between the old Constantinian walls and the Theodosian Land Walls, which had numerous vegetable gardens. By the seventh century, it became more important to grow crops within the city walls during sieges, making the water from open cisterns an important source for the irrigation of the gardens. However, this does not explain similar large open cisterns in more densely populated areas in the heart of the city.

There is no surviving evidence of inflow or outflow channels for the Cistern of Mocius, though a channel broken through the northwestern wall was documented in the late nineteenth century. Inflow channels would have entered at a level higher than the highest intended capacity, while outflow channels would have been at the lowest level. Since the lower portions of the walls, where such evidence would be located, are now covered with accumulated debris, such evidence is no longer visible. Since the bottom of the wall has not been determined, its actual depth is also merely an estimation.

Dimensions and possible capacity

170 x 147 x 12 m = 299,880 m³

Brick and mortared rubble core

Limestone blocks facing the brick and mortar core

Stone blocks facing a mortar and brick core from the Anastasian Long Walls of Thrace

Wall in back gardens of house above the reservoir

The Patria

Anastasios Dikoros (491-518) built the Mokios cistern. When he built it, there was a famine in the city, and a bushel <of wheat cost> one nomisma. The factions gave it this name because it is close to Saint Mokios.

Beveled corner, which strengthened the structure from the internal water pressure

Church of St. Mocius

The Church of St. Mocius, one of the most famous in Constantinople, was dedicated to St. Mocius, who was martyred in Byzantion during the reign of Diocletian. It was probably a short distance west of the Cistern of Mocius, which was named after the church. According to tradition, Constantine built the church on the site of his martyrdom. The church was rebuilt by Justinian and later restored by Basil I. It is uncertain what happened to it after the Fourth Crusade captured the city in 1204.

There are no clearly recorded descriptions of its original architecture, made even more complicated by later restorations. However, it can be assumed that it originally had a Constantinian basilica plan. An imperial procession to the Church of St. Mocius was made on Mid-Pentecost until an attempt was made on the life of Leo VI in 903. The Book of Ceremonies indicates that it had an atrium, narthex, and galleries in the ninth century. It records how the emperor had quarters in the church connected with his lodge in the gallery, where he breakfasted with the patriarch after the liturgy. The ruins of the Church of St. Mocius were used as building material by John V Palaiologos to build a fortified residence in the mid-fourteenth century.

Old Saint Peter's Basilica built by Constantine I in Rome

Giovanni Ciampini (1693)

The Patria on the Church of St. Mokios

Note that Saint Mokios was originally built by Constantine the Great, when a large number of pagans lived there. And there was a temple of Zeus there, so the church was built with its stones. In the days of Theodosios the Great, the Arians were expelled from the holy church, and coming to the church of Saint Mokios they desired it and asked the emperor for permission to dwell there, which indeed happened. So the Arians immediately rebuilt the church, and it was used by them for seven years. It collapsed in the seventh year as they were celebrating the liturgy; and many Arians were killed. But in the days of Justinian the Great the same church was rebuilt and stands to our own day.

Constantine the Great built old Saint Eirene and Hagia Sophia as basilicas, and also Saint Agathonikos and Saint Akakios. His mother together with him built the Holy Apostles as a basilica with a wooden roof, constructing also a mausoleum of the emperors in which they are also laid to rest. He found Saint Menas and Saint Mokios as temples for idols. And he left Saint Menas as it was, but removed the statues and gave it this name. Its final rebuilding was completed 169 years later by Pulcheria and Markianos, with estates and holy vessels <bestowed upon it>. Saint Mokios was two times longer than it is today, but Constantine the Great with his mother Helena cut away two-thirds of the temple and set up the altar. It was because Saint Mokios was executed there that he both rebuilt the church for him and brought his body there.

Mosaic of St. Mokios at Hosios Loukas

From The Book of Ceremonies by Constantine Porphyrogennetos on the Feast of the Ascension

Note that for this feast the receptions take place as follows. Reception 1, outside the vault of the colonnade, just where the column stands. The demokrates of the Blues, that is, the domestikos of the scholai, with the Peratic deme of the Blues, receives them there. Reception 2, at the Aqueduct, where the water flows out. The demokrates of the Greens, that is, the exkoubitos, receives them there. Reception 3, at the Church of St Mokios. The demarch of the Blues, with the White deme, receives them there. Reception 4, in the Exokionion. The demarch of the Greens with the Red deme receives them there. Reception 5, at the Xerolophos, opposite the Chapel of St Kallinikos. The demarch of the Blues, along with the White deme, receives them there.

The Book of Ceremonies by Constantine Porphyrogennetos

What it is necessary to observe on the Wednesday of Mid-Pentecost and for the procession to the Church of St Mokios

Escorted by all of them, both on foot and on horseback, the emperor goes through the Forum of Constantine and the Forum of the Bull, the Philadelphion, the Forum of the Ox, the Xerolophos and the Exokionion. When they arrive at the junction, where the Church of the Holy Apostle Onesimos is, he turns to the right and goes past the Church of St James the Persian and from there goes into the venerable Church of St Mokios the Martyr. Having gone into the atrium and gone through as far as the stairs which go up to the narthex, and having washed there, the emperor goes through the narthex while the patricians and strategoi, with the senate, stand near the door which leads to the spiral stairway and pray for the emperor, each of them as previously described. The emperor, escorted by both the archons of the kouboukleion and the imperial household, the master of ceremonies and silentiaries, goes up via the spiral stairway and, turning slightly left, goes through the gallery of the narthex and goes into his bedchamber… The master of ceremonies goes in and informs the praipositos that the time for the religious procession with the patriarch is near, and the praipositos goes in and informs the emperor. When the emperor has gone out from his bedchamber into the gallery above the imperia! doors, the vestetores go in and change the emperor's chlamys. Koubikoularioi arrange the curtains hanging there in the gallery. When the emperor goes out from the curtains escorted by the archons of the kouboukleion, the patricians and strategoi receive him there outside the curtain and, falling down, make obeisance.

Aerial photo with Cistern of Mocius on the bottom right

İstanbul Tarihi

Niketas Choniates on him convincing Crusaders to release an abducted girl

As we came to the Church of the Noble Martyr Mokios, a lecherous and unholy barbarian, like a wolf pursuing a lamb, snatched from our midst a fair-tressed maiden, the young daughter of a judge. Before this most piteous spectacle our entire company shouted out in alarm. The girl's father, afflicted by old age and sickness, stumbled, fell into a mudhole, and lay on his side wailing and wallowing in the mire; turning to me in utter helplessness and calling me by name, he entreated that I do everything possible to free his daughter. I immediately turned back and set out after the abductor, following his tracks; in tears I cried out against the abduction, and with gestures of supplication I prevailed upon those passing troops who were not wholly ignorant of our language to come to my aid, and I even held on to some with my hand. In this way I succeeded in moving some to pity and convinced them to go in pursuit of that shameless fleshpot.

From The History of Doukas

When the emperor [John V Palaiologos] beheld the blatant ambition and audacity of the tyrant, he began to build in that part of the City called the Golden Gate, two towers on either side of the gate from pieces of white marble joined together, constructing them without the help of stonemasons and without any expense to himself by despoiling other magnificent dedicatory monuments. He dismantled the Church of All Saints built by Lord Leo the Wise and Great Emperor, and the splendid Church of the Holy Forty Martyrs erected by Emperor Maurice; he also made use of the remnants of the Church of St. Mokios, put up by Emperor Constantine the Great. Behind the fortifications he enclosed a part of the City from the Golden Gate to the shore southwards, reserving this as a naval station for refuge in time of need.

List of the Seven Wonders of Late Byzantine Constantinople

Codex Matritensisgraecus 86 (late fifteenth century) trans. Bardill

The Augoustios (Justinian’s Column in the Augustaion)

The Tauros and the Xerolophos (Theodosius’ column and Arcadius’ column in their respective fora)

The reservoirs of the aqueducts:

Of the Prodromos (The Cistern of Aetius, near St John Prodromos in Petra)

Of the Pantepoptes (The Cistern of Aspar)

Of Gonos (The Cistern of Bonos)

Of Mukusia (The Cistern of Mokios)

Of the Archangel (presumably a cistern close to St. Michael’s column set up by Michael VIII Palaiologos)

From Pierre Gilles’ Topography of Constantinople and Its Antiquities

I saw the remains of the Church of St. Mocius near a cistern situated on the back of the Seventh Hill. It is vast, not smaller, as the one which I wrote earlier that Justinian constructed, and supported by fewer columns, of which now it is seen despoiled, retaining only its name. For there is a place called Mocia that not only the historians say, but also Suidas the Grammarian says, was built by Anastasius Dicorus.

Exakionion (Altımermer)

Exakionion (Ἑξακιώνιον) was on a processional route outside the Constantinian Walls between the Church of St. Mokios and Xerolophos. One Byzantine source suggests the name is a corruption of Exokionia, which referred to its location just outside the Constantinian Walls., However it seems to have been a colonnaded monument with six columns and statuary, perhaps similar to a tetrakionion (a monument on the intersection of two colonnades). It has also been associated with the Constantinian precursor to the Golden Gate (which was also known as the Gate of Attalus). The name is first used in connection with the expulsion of the Arians from Constantinople in 379. When they were forbidden to hold religious services in the city, they retreated outside the city walls and were called Arian Exokionites. By the Ottoman era, it was known as Exi Marmara (Έξι Μάρμαρα, “Six Columns”) in Greek, which was translated as Altımermer (“Six Columns”) in Turkish. The district of Exi Marmara had significant Greek and Karamanlı populations during the Ottoman era. Its parish church was the Church of Virgin Mary Gorgoepekoos located north of Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha Mosque.

From Chronicon Paschale

Indiction 7, year 1, consulship of Ausonius and Olybrius [379]

In the time of these consuls Theodosius the emperor gave the churches to the orthodox, after enacting rescripts everywhere, and expelled from them the so-called Arian Exokionites, and he razed the shrines of the Hellenes to the ground.

From The Patria

On the Exakionion. The Exakionion was a land wall built by Constantine the Great. It lasted for 132 years up to the reign of Theodosios the Younger [II, 408-450]. Outside it stood a column which had a statue of Constantine the Great, and therefore it is called Exakionion. Many statues stood there, but Emperor Maurikios (582-602) destroyed them. On the columns preserved today stand the statues which came from Kyzikos.

Broken column left of the Column of Arcadius could be the remains of Exakionion

From panorama by Vavassore (c. 1520)

Houghton Library (Harvard University)

From Seyahatnâme by Evliya Çelebi

Fourth talisman. At the place called Altí Mermer (the six marbles), there are six columns, every one of which was an observatory, made by some of the ancient sages. On one of them, erected by the Hakím Fílikús (Philip), lord of the castle of Kaválah, was the figure of a black fly, made of brass, which, by its incessant humming, drove all flies away from Islámból.

Fifth talisman. On another of the six marble columns, Iflátún (Plato) the divine made the figure of a gnat, and from that time there is no fear of a single gnat‘s coming into Islámbúl.

Sixth talisman. On another of these columns, the Hakím Bokrát (Hippocrates) placed the figure of a stork, and once a year, when it uttered a cry, all the storks which had built their nests in the city died instantly. To this time, not a stork can come and build its nest within the walls of Islámból, though there are plenty of them in the suburbs of Abú Iyyúb Ensárí.

Seventh talisman. On the top of another of the six marble columns, Sokrát the Hakím (i.e. Socrates the Sage) placed a brazen cock, which clapped its wings and crowed once in every twenty-four hours, and on hearing it all the cocks of Islámbúl began to crow. And it is a fact, that to this day the cocks there crow earlier than those of other places, setting up their kú-kirí-kúd (i.e. crowing) at midnight, and thus warning the sleepy and forgetful of the approach of dawn and the hour of prayer.

Eighth talisman. On another of the six columns, Físághórát (Pythagoras the Unitarian), in the days of the prophet Suleïmán (Solomon), placed the figure of a wolf, made of bronze, the terror of all other wolves; so that the flocks of the people of Islámból pastured very safely without a shepherd, and walked side by side with untamed wolves very comfortably.

Ninth talisman. On another of these columns were the figures in brass of a youth and his mistress in close embrace; and whenever there was any coolness or quarrelling between man and wife, if either of them went and embraced this column, they were sure that very night to have their afflicted hearts restored by the joys of love, through the power of this talisman, which was moved by the spirit of the sage Aristatálís (Aristotle).

Tenth talisman. Two figures of tin had been placed on another of the six columns by the physician Jálínús (Galen). One was a decrepit old man, bent double; and opposite to it was a camel-lip sour-faced hag, not straighter than her companion: and when man and wife led no happy life together, if either of them embraced this column, a separation was sure to take place. Wonderful talismans were destroyed, they say, in the time of that asylum of apostleship (Mohammed), and are now buried in the earth.