Why did Constantine located his capital in Constantinople?

Answer 1

The advantages were strategic. Constantinople was more easily defended than the city of Rome (which was subject to malaria outbreaks among other things). Constantine moved the captial to the Greek city of Byzantium and renamed it "Nova Roma" (New Rome.) The name was changed to Constantinople ("city of Constantine") after the emperor's death. Constantinople remained the capital of the Roman and Byzantime empires for over a thousand years, until it was captured by the Turks in the 1400s. Long after Rome fell to barbarian invaders, Constantinople thrived as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire (by then the Roman Empire had split into Eastern and Western realms, with separate emperors for each, though they remained closely allied with one another.

Answer 2

Constantine's decision to build Constantinople was part practicality and part ego. The practical aspect was its ideal location and the ego trip was the boost one received for having a city named after him.

Answer 3

From a geographical point of view, Constantinople was closer to the border areas where the Roman Empire was having problems.

From a political point of view, Rome had long been a difficult place to rule because the political intrigue and riots that occasionally happened. Constantinople turned out to be not much better, if at all, but that was the idea.

Constantine moved the political and military capital to Constantinople, but the religious and cultural center of the empire remained at Rome.

Answer 4

Constantine did not build his capital at Constantinople. He built it at the city of Byzantium, which he then renamed Constantinople after himself. The reason for this was its ideal location. It controlled both the sea and land routes between Europe and Asia. Today the city is called Istanbul and if you look it up on a map, you can see this for yourself.

Answer 5

near water source

good trading center

Answer 6

The site was easy to defend and it was located on the European side of the Strait of Bosphorus.