Two main points support the idea that the Palace of the Bucoleon and the Palace of Hormisdas were separate buildings. First, the Anonymus explicitly distinguishes between them. He writes: “The Palace of the Bucoleon, which stands upon the fortifications, was erected by Theodosius the Younger.” In contrast, he remarks of the Palace of Hormisdas: “The very large buildings near St. Sergius were the residence of Justinian when he was a patrician.” This distinction implies that the two palaces were indeed different structures, built at different times and for different purposes Identifying the Harbour of the Bucoleon.
Identification of the Harbours
Second, the Anonymus identifies the Harbour of Hormisdas as distinct from the Harbour of the Bucoleon. He observes: “What is called r\ o\v ‘OpjufaSov was a small harbour where Justinian the Great built a monastery called Sergius and Bacchus, and another church, that of the Holy Apostles (SS. Peter and Paul), after receiving unction at the foot of the seats of the Hippodrome, because of the massacre there. It was named the Harbour of Julian, from its constructor.”
Other historians, such as Codinus, support this distinction. Codinus adds that the Harbour of Julian accommodated ships before the Harbour of Sophia was constructed, that it had long been filled up, and that Justinian the Great had lived nearby before ascending the throne. These accounts suggest that the Harbour of Hormisdas was not located in the bay east of Tchatlady Kapou, which was the site of the Bucoleon Harbour, but at Kadriga Limani, west of the gate. This further supports the idea that the Palaces of Hormisdas and the Bucoleon were distinct and separated geographically.
Implications for Topography
If we accept that the Harbour of Hormisdas corresponds to the Harbour of Julian, as maintained by scholars like Banduri and Labarte, then the Palace of Hormisdas must also have been situated to the west, in the vicinity of Kadriga Limani. Meanwhile, the Bay east of Tchatlady Kapou remained the site of the Palace of the Bucoleon and its imperial harbour. This interpretation aligns with the descriptions of Byzantine writers and the archaeological evidence of imperial villas, sculptured marble, and proximity to the Great Palace Customized Turkey Tour.
In conclusion, both textual and topographical evidence indicate that the Palace of the Bucoleon and the Palace of Hormisdas were separate structures, each with its own harbour. The Bucoleon, located east of Tchatlady Kapou, served as the imperial palace and harbour for the emperors of later Byzantine times, while the Harbour of Hormisdas (or Julian) lay further west, near Kadriga Limani. Distinguishing these sites resolves historical confusion and helps clarify the complex urban topography of Constantinople.
