Constantinople was the principal city of the Byzantine Empire for over a millennium, was held by the Ottomans for centuries, and continues contemporarily as Istanbul in Turkey. Dr. Michael Decker, Associate Professor, United Arab Emirates University, joins the show to discuss Constantinople’s founding.
Some topics explored
- Diocletian’s decision to split the empire between west and east
- Edict of Milan (313 CE/AD)
- Battle of Milvian Bridge where Constantine defeats Maxentius
- Battle of Chrysopolis (Constantine vs. Licinius)
- The circumstances surrounding its founding, including the geopolitical environment in Rome at the time
- Founding of Constantinople (May 11, 330 CE/AD)
- The Greek city state of Byzantium that existed before it and what’s known about it
- Why Constantine named the city eponymously
- Constantine’s relationship with religion and what Christian church, if any, he may have identified with most
- When the Christian church in Constantinople becomes influential
- If Constantine considered Constantinople the capital of the empire
Listen to the episode
The episode is available on major podcast apps: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
- Professor Decker is author of the monograph The Byzantine Art of War (Westholme Publishing, 2012) and author of the forthcoming book The Sasanian Empire at War: Persia, Rome, and the Rise of Islam, 224-651 (Westholme Publishing)
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