Today, along with continuing our emperor speeches and reviewing some basic class information, we attempted to answer the question "Why was Constantinople the heart of the Byzantine Empire?"
It might seem obvious that the capital city would be the most important place in an empire, but it is also important to know why they chose that particular place to put a capital city.
Reason #1: It was a trade center that connected East and West, Asia and Europe, on both land and sea. Constantinople was a very wealthy city because Constantine had the vision that the future would include more trade with the "East", or "Orient".
Reason #2: It was easier to protect than most cities, because it was build on the site of Byzantium. Protected by two straits and located on a peninsula, Constantinople was one of the most formidable fortresses in the medieval world. This was also a key to Byzantine success.
It might seem obvious that the capital city would be the most important place in an empire, but it is also important to know why they chose that particular place to put a capital city.
Reason #1: It was a trade center that connected East and West, Asia and Europe, on both land and sea. Constantinople was a very wealthy city because Constantine had the vision that the future would include more trade with the "East", or "Orient".
Reason #2: It was easier to protect than most cities, because it was build on the site of Byzantium. Protected by two straits and located on a peninsula, Constantinople was one of the most formidable fortresses in the medieval world. This was also a key to Byzantine success.