Ancient Civilisations Constantinople
Feb 27, 2026
Geoffrey Greatrex, Professor of Classics at the University of Ottawa and Byzantine scholar. He traces Constantinople’s rise from Greek colony to imperial capital. Short scenes cover city-building, Theodosian walls, Hagia Sophia, Justinian’s ambitions, the Fourth Crusade’s sack, Mehmed II’s siege innovations, the 1453 fall and Ottoman transformation into Istanbul.
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Constantine Made Byzantium A New Imperial Capital
- Constantine transformed Byzantium into an imperial capital by leveraging location and institutions.
- He renamed it Constantinople in 330, built palaces, forums, a senate, and offered citizenship and bread to draw elites and Christians.
Theodora Refused To Flee During The Nika Riots
- Theodora stopped Justinian from fleeing during the Nika riots and persuaded him to stay and fight for the throne.
- Her blunt speech and appeal to imperial dignity convinced Justinian, after which troops slaughtered tens of thousands and order was restored.
Justinian Rebuilt Empire Through Law And Architecture
- Justinian used massive building and legal reform to project revived Roman authority from Constantinople.
- He rebuilt Hagia Sophia, produced the Code of Justinian, and launched reconquests led by Belisarius across the Mediterranean.