The name “Istanbul” has a rich and complex history, reflecting the city’s long and varied past. It probably comes from the Greek phrase “στὴν Πόλι” [stimˈboli], meaning “to the city”, or “in the city,” reinterpreted as a single word; a similar case is Stimboli, Crete. This phrase was commonly used by Greeks to refer to Constantinople, the city that was the center of the Byzantine Empire.
But why Istanbul and not just Stambul or Stanbul? In old, original Turkish, words do not begin with letters like r, l, and s; a vowel is added before these consonants based on vowel harmony. The “İ-” in the name “İstanbul” comes from this linguistic feature. The language requires an -i- or -ı- before s + consonant (e.g., skala > iskele, Smyrna > İzmir, Stinboli > Istanbul, skara > ızgara, Sparta > Isparta). Similarly, Spanish also needs an -e- before s + consonant (e.g., estrés < stress, estudio < studio, espero < spero).
Also, The Greek word Poli (πόλη) (meaning ‘city’ and is derived from the ancient Greek term “polis” – πόλις, which referred to a city-state in ancient Greece) transforms in Turkish phonetics to bol/bolu, as seen in examples like Gelibolu (Kallipoli = ‘Beautiful City’) and Safranbolu (Safranpoli). In Russian, for example, it becomes pol, as in Sevastopol, Mariupol, Simferopol, etc.
So, during the Ottoman period, the phrase “stimˈboli” (or i’stimˈboli) gradually transformed into “Istanbul” in Turkish. The transition from “Constantinople” (the city was known in the Islamic world as “Kostantiniyye”) to “Istanbul” was a gradual process, with both names being used interchangeably for a long time.
Officially, the name “Istanbul” (İstanbul) was adopted in 1930 as part of the Turkish Republic’s efforts to modernize and Turkify place names following the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
Before becoming known as Istanbul, the city had been called Byzantium, a name given by its Greek settlers. It was later renamed Constantinople (means Constantine’s city) in honor of Emperor Constantine the Great, who made it the capital of the Roman Empire in 330 AD.
What was the Old Name for Istanbul? Even Before Byzantium?
According to the Roman historian and naturalist Pliny the Elder (AD 23/24-79), the first recorded name of Byzantium (later known as Constantinople and eventually Istanbul) was Lygos. This name likely referred to a small Thracian settlement that existed on the site of what would later become Byzantium. The settlement of Lygos is believed to have been located near the Sarayburnu (Seraglio Point), which is the tip of the historic peninsula where the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn meet.
Lygos was presumably a small, strategic settlement, given the advantageous geography of the area. The Thracians, an ancient group of tribes who inhabited parts of the Balkans, likely established it as a trading or military outpost, taking advantage of the natural harbor and the region’s connection between Europe and Asia.
In 657 BC, Byzantium was founded by Greek settlers from Megara, and the new city rapidly grew in importance due to its strategic location. The Greek colonists likely built over or near the existing Thracian settlement, and the name Lygos faded as Byzantium took root. However, Pliny’s mention of the name offers a glimpse into the pre-Greek history of what is now Istanbul.
Sarayburnu (Seraglio Point) has remained a significant part of Istanbul’s landscape, as it is home to the Topkapı Palace today, with views over the Bosphorus, a reminder of its long, strategic importance.
Sources
- Names of Istanbul on Wikipedia
- “Eis ten Polin, but Where is the City: Konstantios’ Istanbul” on the Istanbul Research Institute website
- “The Etymology Of İstanbul: Making Optimal Use Of The Evidence”. Marek STACHOWSKI (Kraków) / Robert WOODHOUSE (Brisbane) [Study]
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