Bathonea – Ancient Excavation Site near Istanbul

Ancient and Byzantine excavation site on the Sea of Marmara, 20 km west of Istanbul

Bathonea is the probable name of an ancient and Byzantine settlement excavated near the Küçükçekmece lagoon, around 20 km west of Istanbul. Historical sources mention the site, but its exact identification was long debated. At times it was sensationally marketed as a lost city – a claim archaeologists have corrected as misleading. Excavations do, however, unearth genuine finds from Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods. Its location on the European shore of the Sea of Marmara makes it a significant witness to the long settlement history of the greater Istanbul area.