1. Objective: I will describe the key features of Constantinople

2. Eastern Roman Empire = Byzantine Empire
Hadrian’s Wall
Rhine River
Danube River
Arabian Desert
Sahara Desert

3. Eastern Roman Empire = Byzantine Empire
In 284, Diocletian splits the Empire into two parts because it is too big to govern.

4. The Roman Capital Moves
In 324, Emperor Constantine moves the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to the city of Byzantium. The city is re-named Constantinople, and is built up to be as great as Rome. They build a series of walls to keep out invaders by land, and built a wall around the city to protect against attacks by sea.

5. Constantinople also had mountain range at the back of the peninsula which made it hard to get a big army of invaders through.

6. Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire is the term historians use to name the eastern part of the empire that remained after the western Roman Empire fell in 476 A.D. The Byzantine Empire grew very wealthy because it was located at a crossroad for trade between Europe and Asia.

7. Importance of Constantinople’s Location:
Easy to defend
Land trade route from Asia to Europe
Water trade route from Black Sea to Mediterranean Sea