Constantinople

1. Constantinople Geography often plays an important role in history. Throughout history, certain places have had special significance because of where they were located. Constantinople was one of those places. If we look at Constantinople’s location from space, we can still see why it was one of the most important cities of its time. (Teachers may find additional information on the notes page view of this PowerPoint presentation.)

2. Constantinople Constantinople was the fortress capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, which later became the Byzantine Empire. For hundreds of years, Constantinople was one of the richest cities in the world. Many enemies tried to capture the city, but all of them found this to be very difficult. Why was Constantinople so rich? Why was Constantinople so difficult to conquer? (The city is still one of the world’s great urban centers. The Ottoman Turkish conquerors who finally captured it in 1453 CE renamed it Istanbul. That name is in fact derived from the word “Constantinople.”)

3. Where was Constantinople? (Istanbul today)

4. Why might this location have been important?

5. Can you identify any of the places in this photo?

10. Why would this city be difficult to conquer?

11. A Highway Bridge across the Bosporus