Athens Greece Now
Hagia SophiaModern Constantinople - Instanbul

Byzantium and Constantinople

Byzantium was originally a village on the shore of the Sea of Marmora (which connects the Aegean to the Black Sea), and in 324 AD, Constantine, after rejecting the area of Troy as his new capitol (he had also considered Thessaloniki), commenced to make this new area his capitol city. A mammoth construction project commenced which employed well over forty thousands, and using significant financial inducements to draw a permanent population, by 330 AD enough of the capitol had been laid out that the city was officially dedicated on May 31. Eventually the city was titled Constantinople and a system modeled on Rome's municipal organizational method was utilized.

Justinian I , also known as Justinian the Great, was the Eastern Roman emperor from 527 to 565. He lived 482 AD - 565 AD.

The Hagia Sophia

Description of the original Hagia Sophia of Justinian I from the book History of the Byzantine Empire by George Ostrogorsky

Night falling at the Hagia Sophia


See more Greece History


Original Page July 2020


GREECE BY NIGHT More News - Archive Photos of GREECE
Greece's Golden Visa program
Advertisement: I am an Amazon affiliate

Fodor's Essential Greece: with the Best of the Islands (Full-color Travel Guide) – Amazon

  • Illustrated experiences guide to the top things to see and do
  • Multiple itineraries to help organize your days
  • 40+ detailed maps for easy navigation
  • Color photos throughout
  • Local recommendations for sights, dining, hotels, nightlife, shopping, and activities
  • “Best of” features covering beaches, food and drink, and more
  • Trip-planning tips on when to go, getting around, avoiding crowds, and saving money
  • Historical and cultural insights into Greek people, art, architecture, and cuisine
  • Special features on the Acropolis, Greek gods and heroes, Greek history, Meteora, and more
  • Local writers highlighting lesser-known places
  • Greek-language primer with useful words and phrases
  • Up-to-date coverage of Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, the Aegean, Sporades and Saronic islands, Delphi, Central Macedonia, Meteora, and the Peloponnese
  • 800 Pages

Athens Greece Now

Home | Information | Resources | News Archive | Photos | Book Shop | Contact | Copyright | Site Map