When we turn our attention to the Neorion at the Heptascalon, it becomes clear that this harbour cannot be identified with several well-known ports of Constantinople. First, it could not have been the Harbour of the Bucoleon, because that harbour was directly attached to the Imperial Palace and served the emperor alone. The Neorion at the Heptascalon was clearly a different structure, located in another part of the city.
Second, it could not have been the Harbour of the Golden Gate. That harbour lay beyond the official limits of the city and therefore cannot match the descriptions that place the Neorion within the urban area near the Heptascalon Cantacuzene’s Clear Distinction Between the Two Harbours.
Third, it cannot have been the Harbour of Theodosius. That harbour had already been filled in long before the reign of Emperor John VI Cantacuzene in the fourteenth century. Historical sources tell us that by the years 1400 and 1422—only fifty and seventy years after Cantacuzene’s reign—the area of the former Harbour of Theodosius was already described as a garden. This shows that it had long ceased to function as a harbour.
Possible Identifications of the Neorion
Since these major harbours can be excluded, the Neorion at the Heptascalon must have been one of three possibilities. It could have been the Harbour of Julian and Sophia, the Kontoscalion, or perhaps a smaller and otherwise unknown harbour located between Kotim Kapoussi and Vlanga.
At first glance, the Harbour of Julian and Sophia might seem a possible candidate. However, there are strong reasons to reject this idea. That harbour was very famous and widely known by its own proper name. It is therefore extremely unlikely that historians or chroniclers would suddenly refer to it by a different name, such as “the Neorion at the Heptascalon.” Such a change in terminology would have caused confusion, and no clear evidence supports it.
The Evidence of the Church of St. Acacius
Another important clue comes from references to the Church of St. Acacius, which is said to have stood at the Heptascalon. The descriptions of this church are vague and lack precise details, but they still provide useful information. They do not suggest that the church was located near the Harbour of Julian and Sophia Private Guided Sofia Tours.
Instead, the evidence points in another direction. The descriptions better support the idea that the church stood near Boudroum Djamissi, in the district of Laleli Hamam. This area lies to the north-west of Ivoum Kapoussi and fits more closely with what little is known about the site of the Heptascalon.
A More Likely Location
If this interpretation is correct, then the Neorion at the Heptascalon was most likely not one of the major imperial harbours, but either the Kontoscalion or a smaller harbour situated between Kotim Kapoussi and Vlanga. Such a harbour may have served more practical or local needs, rather than imperial ceremony or large-scale trade.
In conclusion, by carefully excluding the better-known harbours and examining the limited evidence about nearby churches and districts, we can narrow down the identity of the Neorion at the Heptascalon. While absolute certainty is impossible, the balance of evidence suggests that it was a lesser harbour located in the north-western part of the area traditionally associated with the Heptascalon, rather than one of Constantinople’s famous imperial ports.
