Constantinople: the Gem of the Mediterranean
Posted By Samuel Phineas Upham Four years before the armies of Constantine the Great would pass through the territory known today as Istanbul, the city was inaugurated and named “Constantinople.” The city was modeled after Rome and so was built atop seven hills. The city proper was called Constantinople, but the surrounding area was still known as the Byzantine Empire. Between the occupation of the Greeks and the Romans, the city was reinventing itself as a cultural hub for arts and architecture. Perhaps this Mecca of ancient art was what attracted Constantine the Great to the locale, and ultimately may have played a role in his decision to move the capital of Rome. He also brought many embellishments with him on his journey to the city, like the Egyptian Obelisk…