The Probert Encyclopaedia of Places of the World

BYZANTIUM

Byzantium was the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today it is called Istanbul. The city was founded by Greek colonists in 658 BC, and owing to its favourable position for commerce it attained great prosperity, and survived the decay of most of the other Greek cities. In 330 AD a new era began for it when Constantine the Great made it the capital of the Roman Empire under the name Constantinople.
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