Constantine Creates a "New Rome"

Germanic invaders pounded the Roman Empire in the west so the Roman emperor Constantine and his successors shifted their base to the eastern Mediterranean. Constantine rebuilt the Greek city of Byzantium and then renamed it after himself- Constantinople. In 330, Constantinople became the new capital of the empire. In time, roads began to fan out to the Balkans, to the Middle East, and to North America. The eastern Roman Empire became the Byzantine Empire.

Constantinople was located on the shores of the Bosporus, a strait that links the Mediterranean and Black Sea. It had an excellent harbor and was guarded by water on 3 sides. Constantinople created key trade routes linking Europe and Asia. It was in existence nearly 1,000 years after the fall of the western Roman Empire and promoted a brilliant civilization that blended ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian influences with other traditions of the mediterranean world.

	Created by sgrill about 9 years ago

10th grade World History Note on The Byzantine Empire Project , created by sgrill on 19/10/2015.