Constantiople/byzantium

[Black_Francis]

Constantiople or Byzantium, which is the correct term for this city pre 1453?

 

I understand that Byzantium was the ancient pre-Roman Greek name for the settlement but how long was the city called Constantinople after Constantine?

 

What were the men on the walls in 1453 calling their city?

 

What were they calling themselves?

 

Were they still calling themselves "Roman" as in the time of Justinian?

 

Where does the Eastern Roman Empire end and the Byzantine begin?

[Ursus]

It was founded as Byzantium. Constantine later renamed it Nova Roma (New Rome) but the name never caught on. In popular usage it became Constantinople, Greek for the city of Constantine.

 

Diocletion formally divided the empire in a West and a East, so that could be a starting point. But Byzantium as a historical and cultural phenomenon probably didn

[Black_Francis]

Thank you Ursus!

Would you be able to name some good books on the Eastern Roman Empire or is that simply going to far?

[Favonius Cornelius]

I prefer Byzantium.

 

Constantinople reminds me of selling out to Christianity, and of course Istanbul reminds me of the sad end of the Roman Empire at the hands of barbarian invaders...

[Ursus]

I'm not an expert, but I've been recommended by those in the know that John Julius Norwich is the supreme author of all things Byzantine.

[Ursus]

Also, if you ever watch American Public Broadcasting (PBS), sometimes they replay Professor Eugene Weber's history of the western tradition. He did a segment on the Byzantium.

 

If I recall correctly, he said Eastern Europeans were still calling themselves Romans until the beginning of European nationalism and ethnocentrism in the nineteenth century.

[Segestan]

Constantinople was the name of the New Rome at Byzantium.

 

The City of Constantine. Built by the Christian Emperor . Constantine in 326 AD sent his architexts and builders to the ancient spot on the Hellespont- Byzantium to build his New Rome. The original settlers were of Byzantium where Macedonian. They had been , according to legend, told by the oracle to build there, by the priestess who spoke to the Gods. The hilly peninsula , bound by water on three sides, was a natural place of defense and a fortress with a fine harbor.

In 330 AD the New City was ready. The first visitors were amazed to find a dozen palaces rising on the hills;the number twelve was an important symbolic meaning in christian theology. Churches , triumphal arches , huge Roman baths , and a stately arena , the Hippodrome. Wherever the vistitors went , along the streets or in the shinning new buildings , they came upon treasures of art which had been collected from every corner of the ancient world. Each was a reminder of the cities and nations that made up Constantines empire and whose men filled the ranks of his legions.

Constantine built his New Rome, because he did not want to attempt to stamp out the Old Religions of Rome. He wanted a New vision. The vision of Truth, Beaty and Goodness that was associated with the Savior of Man..Christ.

 

regards,

[Favonius Cornelius]

Of course, don't forget the They Might Be Giants version of the history:

 

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/t/they-might-be...nts/136385.html

 

[Guest Scanderbeg]

The city has always been regarded as a whole city for the Greeks, from the very beginning of their rwar of indepedance, the goal was not just to free themselves, but to also reinstall the Byzantine Empire, with Constantinople as their capitol. Today that idea of Greece to recreate their past christian empire is called the Megali Idea.

 

Anyway, from what I know, Byzantium was originally a colony of Megara. The city had pretty much rotted by the time of the late Roman era and was sieged and badly damaged in 196 when it sided against Rome by going with Pescennius Niger so Constantinople was pretty much built from scratch.

[Black_Francis]

Also, if you ever watch American Public Broadcasting (PBS), sometimes they replay Professor Eugene Weber's history of the western tradition. He did a segment on the Byzantium.

Thanks Ursus... however Im British and have to make do with the BBC (great though they are!) so I have no chance of catching anything on PBS!

Thanks for the author reference though!

[PerfectimusPrime]

Constantine probably selected the place because it was in a excellent trading position (during it's golden age, almost no trade went to Europe or from Europe, without being taxed by the Emperor) and unlike Rome, Constantinople also became excellent production city, with dozens of foundaries and othe productive facilities for workers. But it had also a down side; because poor people in Constantinople could find jobs with relative ease, few joined the Legion, (that had become a job rather than a mission) there was lack of fully-professional army, although the Byzantine army still had a professional core and mercenary support, it relied on levied troops.

[Guest Scanderbeg]

The area of Byzantium was always an excellent position throughout history. It was a gate between Asia and Europe, gave you complete control of the Bosphorous and was the last line in the silk trade. On top of this, it is surrounded by water, thus sieging the city is incredibly difficult. With all that, it is no wonder he poicked it, and that it was one of the most sieged cities throughout history.

[PerfectimusPrime]

oh, yeah, that too, I forgot...

[Lex]

The city has always been regarded as a whole city for the Greeks, from the very beginning of their rwar of indepedance, the goal was not just to free themselves, but to also reinstall the Byzantine Empire, with Constantinople as their capitol. Today that idea of Greece to recreate their past christian empire is called the Megali Idea.

 

 

Wow! I never knew that such an idea existed, that's really interesting. How much support does this idea have amongst modern Greeks? I think that any Romanist would love to see such a thing occur, a final vindication for the Romans.

[Tobias]

Hello

I realise i've probably joined in this forum a bit late, but i'm really interested in the Eastern Roman/Byzantine Empire, and i know a few things about it.

Constantinople played an essential part in preserving much of the knowledge gained by the Romans during the Dark and Middle Ages because it never fell to barbarians until 1453, and by then Europe was ready for the Renaissance.

Indeed, the exodus of the Byzantine elite to Italy from the Turks transported that preserved knowledge to Italian cities and helped begin the Renaissance.