The Serpent Column, which has survived from the Hippodrome in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district, is a bronze monument from Ancient Greece. This work, which was made with the depiction of three python snakes entwined with each other, is the oldest large-scale monument that has survived from the classical period of Istanbul. It was erected in the temple of Apollo at Delphi in 479 BC to commemorate the victory of the Greek cities over the Persian army.
The column, which is thought to have been brought to Istanbul in 324 by Emperor Constantine, was an artifact believed to have magical powers to protect the city from insects and reptiles. Today, only a 5-metre section of the 29-knotted bronze column has survived. The upper and lower parts of the column are broken. Two snake heads from the Serpent Column have been lost, but the third head is on display at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
History and Characteristics of the Serpentine Column
The Serpent Column, one of the ancient victory monuments of Greece; It was built with the joint booty of 31 Greek cities that defeated the Persians in the Battle of Platea, which took place in 479 BC. The column, consisting of three snake figures, was located in Delphi, opposite the temple of Apollo. There were gold or gold-plated cauldrons on the heads of the snakes, and an unquenchable fire was burning inside the cauldrons. The height of the column, which was made using the monolithic casting technique, was 6.5 meters and reached a height of 8 meters with the boiler.
The hero of the war, Pausanias, king of Sparta, had an inscription written on the base of the monument, showing himself as the only hero of victory. However, at the request of the Spartans, the inscription was deleted and the names of 31 Hellenic city-states were engraved directly on the column. The names engraved on the column can still be seen on the face facing the Blue Mosque.
Although the place and artist of the column are not known exactly, it is possible that it was built on the island of Aigina, which is famous for its bronze casting technique. The golden cauldron, on which the column was placed, was later melted and used to cover the war expenses. In ancient times, it was located in a temple where spells were made to protect against the damage of reptiles and insects.
Bringing the Serpent Column to Istanbul
According to what is told, the Delphic Column, which is thought to have been dedicated at the beginning of the 4th century AD or the 5th century AD at the latest, was brought to Constantinople by Emperor Constantine. It is said that there was an infestation of snakes and insects in the city during the foundation of Constantinople and that Constantine made it an important goal to bring the column to save the city from these pests. It is thought that the column suffered some losses while being displaced or placed in its new place in Constantinople. column HippodromeIt is estimated that it was placed on the spina in .
The reason why the column was saved from being melted or plundered by the Crusaders in 1204 is that it functions as a fountain. However, it is not known exactly how long it served as a fountain after this date.
Decapitation of the Serpents at the Serpentine Column
The Serpent Column, seen in the 1699 engraving by the European traveler A. De la Motraye, is known for its three snakeheads. There are different rumors about how the snakeheads of the Serpent Column broke off and there is no definite information. According to the Hümername in the library of Topkapı Palace, Fatih Sultan Mehmet threw his spear and broke the lower jaw of the snake after he arrived at the Atmeydanı.
Evliya Çelebi said, “The Serpent Column is the 17th talismanic twisted pillar in Istanbul. Thanks to the talisman of this column, animals like snakes do not enter the city. The column shows the image of a three-headed dragon and lost one of its heads in a hit with a janissary sword. At that time, his talisman was partially broken and animals such as snakes, centipedes and scorpions began to enter Istanbul.” According to the work named ‘Nusretname’ by Silahdar Fındıklılı Mehmet Ağa, the heads of the snakes were severed from their necks on 20 November 1700 and disappeared. It is claimed that this destruction was done by the men of the Polish ambassador Viniava Lescynski, who came to Istanbul on 5 May 1700 and was hosted in a place close to the hippodrome.
The upper jaw and the upper half of the head, one of the lost snake heads of the Serpent Column, were found by the architect Fossati, who repaired Hagia Sophia, in 1848 and handed over to the authorities. This find is exhibited in the Istanbul Archeology Museum, Istanbul Exhibition Hall for Ages. The fragment found forms the upper half of the snake’s upper jaw and head, and its large triangular teeth are clearly visible. In addition, the eyes are in the form of deeply engraved and lined round pits.
Archaeological Studies on the Serpent Column
British archaeologist Charles Thomas Newton worked around the Serpent Column between 1855 and 1856, and the column was unearthed along with its pedestal. The inscriptions on the monument were read and evaluated by scholars such as Philipp Anton Dethier, Andreas David Mordtmann, O. Frick and E. Fabricius. As a result of these studies, it was determined that the column was a monument seen in the Temple of Apollo in Delphi by the Greek historian Pausanias in the 2nd century AD.
During the large-scale excavations carried out on behalf of the British Academy by the British archaeologist Stanley Casson in 1927, it was revealed that the Serpent Column was brought here in the last periods of the Byzantine Empire and turned into a fountain. Casson’s research has also shown that parts of the column were cut and reshaped during the construction of the fountain. During the excavations, it was also found that there was once a pit filled with soil under the base of the column, and the stones that formed the foundation of the column were placed there. These findings show that the Serpent Column was an important monument in ancient times and was used for different purposes over time.
In 2015, a bronze copy of the Serpentine Column was placed in Delphi. This replica was made using a plaster mold that has been in the Delphi Museum since 1980. The names of the city-states in the original column are also on the copy.
