Constantinople

• Constantinople was founded as the ‘New Rome’ in 330 CE by Constantine I on the existing city of Byzantium.
• It became the Capital of the Eastern Roman Empire for the next 1,000 years. Since 1928 it has been renamed Istanbul.

History

Hellenistic Period (658-146 BCE)

• In 658 BCE, the city was founded as Byzantium by the Greeks from Megara.
  • It was protected by a Wall with 27 Towers and 2 Gates on the landward side.
• In 479 BCE, Pausanias, the Spartan General, conquered Byzantium then rebuilt the Wall.
• In 340 BCE, the Wall was rebuilt to prepare for an attack by Philip II of Macedon.

Roman Period (146 BCE-395 CE)

• In 146 BCE, Greece officially became a Roman Province and the city continued to be called Byzantium.
• Byzantium became the capital of the Roman Province of Thracia.
• In 193-96 CE the city was besieged by Septimius Severus who destroyed the Walls, then rebuilt them.
• In 324-336 CE, Constantine I also besieged then rebuilt the city.
• In 330 May 11 CE, the city was Inaugurated as ‘Roma Nova’ (New Rome), and already during his reign it was called Constantinople.
• The Senate of Constantinople. Constantine I created a second Roman Senate of Eastern Roman Senators, and also Roman Senators who wished to move to Constantinople. They were encouraged by a free gift of land and grain.
• In 330 CE, the city had a population of c. 30,000, by 400 CE around 300,000 and by 565 CE around 750,000.
• In 324 CE, Constantine I built a new single Wall to the west of the Severan Wall.
• In 368 CE, Valens completed the Aqueduct of Valens.

Byzantine Period (395-1453 CE)

• In 395 CE, the Eastern Empire split permanently from the Western Empire, with Constantinople as its capital city. Historians refer to it as the Byzantine Empire
• In 413 CE, Theodosius II constructed the first Walls of Constantinople.
• In 437, 447 and 448 CE Earthquakes destroyed the Constantinian and Theodosian Walls.
• In 448 CE Theodosius II ordered the damaged Walls to be rebuilt in 60 days to deter Attila the Hun, who avoided the city and went into Greece instead.
• Imperial Library of Constantinople. Very little is known about this Library, except that it seems to have contained Works in both Greek and Latin. It may have contained many of the Books or copies of the Books from the Great Library of Alexandria.

Ottoman Period (1453-1922 CE)

• Constantinople was the capital of the Ottoman Empire, which at its peak collected Tribute from 32 Provinces and a number of Vassal states, located in southeastern Europe, western Asia and northern Africa.

Republic of Turkey (1923-today)

• Constantinople was renamed Istanbul in 1930.
• Ankara became the capital of the new Republic of Turkey in 1923.

Museums

• Istanbul Archaeology Museums
  • Archeological Museum: Osman Hamdi Bey Yokuşu Sokak Sok 34122, Gülhane, Istanbul
  • The museum holds over 1,000,000 items from the Anatolian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire Periods.
  • The museum holds seven of the Porphyry Sarcophagi in which the Byzantine Emperors were buried.
• Great Palace Mosaic Museum
  • Sultanahmet Mahallesi Kabasakal, Arasta Carsisi Sok. No. 53. 34122, Fatih, Istanbul.
  • The museum holds a series of excavated floor mosaics that decorated a peristyle court of the Palace, possibly dating to Justinian I (527-565 CE).

Roman and Byzantine Sites

• Hagia Sophia (537 CE)
  • It was built as a Cathedral in 537 CE by Justinian I and was in use until 1453 CE. It was then used as a Mosque from 1453 until 1931 CE. Today it is a Museum and a Mosque.
• Aqueduct of Valens (368 CE)
  • Valens (364-378 CE) completed the aqueduct in 368 CE. It has a dramatic viaduct between two hills in Istanbul which is still standing today.
  • The water system consisted of 160 miles (250km) of supply lines, three open reservoirs and one hundred underground cisterns.
• Basilica Cistern
  • The Cistern is located under the Stoa Basilica, from which it derives it’s name, on the First Hill of Constantinople. The cistern featured in the James Bond film ‘From Russia with Love’.
  • It was completed before the Aqueduct of Valens was finished in 378 CE.
  • The Cistern is largest underground cistern in Constantinople, being approximately 450 x 210 feet (138 x 65m), with a capacity for 100,000 tons of water.
  • It has 336 marble columns are each 30 ft (9m) high and are arranged in 12 rows which support the ceiling. The cistern is lined by a brick wall sealed with waterproof mortar.
• Obelisk of Theodosius
  • The Hippodrome is now Sultan Ahmet Square.
  • It was moved in 390 CE from Alexandria in Egypt to Constantinople by Theodosius I (379-395 CE), and positioned on the Spina of the Hippodrome, where it still stands today.
• Harbour of Eleutherios (c.395 CE)
  • This is an excavation site which is not open to visitors. It is located under the Yenikapi district of Istanbul.
  • In 2005 whilst digging the East West Bosphorus Rail Tunnel, excavators uncovered the old Harbour of Eleutherios, built by Theodosius I (379-395 CE). It was also known as the Harbour of Theodosius (Portus Theodosiacus).
  • Excavators unearthed sections of the Wall of Constantine I and 35 Byzantine Ship remains from the seventh to tenth centuries CE including Galleys.
• Hippodrome of Constantinople (203 CE)
  • A U-shaped racetrack built by Septimius Severus and rebuilt by Constantine I in 324 CE, to accommodate 100,000 spectators.
  • Today, it is named Sultan Ahmet Square and contains several Monuments:
    • The Serpent Column made in 478 BCE, it is a bronze memorial to the Greek victory at the Battle of Plataea (479 BCE).
    • Obelisk of Theodosius
    • The Walled Obelisk
    • The statue of Porphyrius
• Great Palace of Constantinople (no longer extant)
  • Located in Old Istanbul, only a few vestiges remain today, but some of the mosaics have been excavated and are now in the Great Palace Mosaic Museum.
  • In 330 CE, the Great Palace of Constantinople was built by Constantine I.
  • ‘The Porphyra’ was the official delivery room for pregnant Empresses, and was lined with red Porphyry marble from the Porphyry Mountain in Egypt (no longer extant).
• Great Palace Mosaic Museum
  • Sultanahmet Mahallesi Kabasakal, Arasta Carsisi Sok. No. 53. 34122, Fatih, Istanbul.
  • The museum holds a series of excavated floor mosaics that decorated a peristyle court of the Palace, possibly dating to Justinian I (527-565 CE).
• Church of the Holy Apostles (no longer extant)
  • The Church was built by Constantine I between 330-337 CE, and was the second most important church after the Hagia Sophia. The Church was destroyed in 1462 CE and no vestiges remain.
  • It was the Mausoleum for the Eastern Roman Emperors of the Byzantine Empire starting with Constantine I, in 337 CE until 1056 CE with Theodora, after which there was no more space. The Emperors were placed in Porphyry Sarcophagi.
  • Seven of the Porphyry Sarcophagi are located in the Istanbul Archaeology Museums.
• Walls of Constantinople (324-c.340 CE)
  • A single Wall with towers was built by Constantine I to protect the new city of Constantinople.
  • The Theodosian Walls were then built 1.5 miles (2km) to the west of the Constantinian Wall, by the Emperor Theodosius I (402-450 CE).
  • The Wall consists of a large inner Wall with 96 Towers, below it a smaller outer Wall, and in front of that, a moat.
  • Despite attacks, earthquakes and floods, the Walls stood firm until 1453 CE and fell with the arrival of cannon.
  • The Walls have been restored and can be visited today.

Roman Roads

• Via Egnatia
  • Durres–Thessalonica–Adrianople-Constantinople

Constantinople-Istanbul