Roman Footnote

The entire Empire would role over in its collective grave if they knew what short shrift I'm giving Roman vestiges in Istanbul.  They're are plenty, and if you only have the chance to see one it must be the stunning Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarniçi).  It was built in 532AD by Emperor Justinian as a water supply to the Grand Palace. The water was brought in via a system aqueducts (some of which can still be seen today) from the Black Sea.

Justinian took some of the columns from temple ruins, and therefore the some parts of the cistern are even older than 1,500 years.

Positively stunning.