Could Tower S Be a Prison?
Regarding whether Tower S could have been a prison, it is true that it has features which might allow it to be used as a confinement area. Chamber F, which some believe to have been a cistern, could also have served as a dungeon. The L-shaped chamber on the second story may have been used to detain important prisoners, such as those arrested for political reasons. However, overall, Tower S seems more like an extension of Tower N, which was residential in nature, rather than a dedicated prison.
Comparing the Ages of Towers N and S
The most important point in this debate is the age of Tower S in comparison to Tower N. The Tower of Anemas must have been built during the reign of Emperor Alexius Comnenus, making it at least seventy years older than the Tower of Isaac Angelus. If Tower S were indeed the Tower of Anemas, it would need to be older than Tower N, which Dr. Paspates identifies as the Tower of Isaac Angelus Istanbul Old City Tours.
However, the evidence presented shows that Tower S is younger than Tower N, meaning these two towers cannot be identified as the Tower of Anemas and the Tower of Isaac Angelus, respectively. Therefore, we cannot claim that Tower S is the Tower of Anemas until there is evidence proving it is older than Tower N, or until we abandon the idea that Tower N is the Tower of Isaac Angelus.
The Dating of Tower S
Dr. Paspates suggested that Tower S dates back to the reign of Emperor Theophilus in the 9th century. He based this on the discovery of a block of stone with part of Theophilus’ name inscribed on it, which was built into the north-western face of the tower. However, after further examination, it becomes clear that this stone was not placed to display part of an inscription. Instead, it was used as regular construction material, likely taken from another building. Therefore, this stone does not provide useful information about the age of Tower S Identifying Tower S as the Tower of Anemas.
In conclusion, while Tower S could have been used as a prison, its age and design suggest it is not the Tower of Anemas. To confirm this, more evidence is needed to prove either that Tower S is older than Tower N, or that Tower N is not the Tower of Isaac Angelus. Until then, the identification of Tower S remains uncertain.
