name: _____________________________

date: __________________/block: _______

The Middle Ages Byzantium

Adapted from History of the World (Boston: Houghton Mifflin) The Middle Ages 2010

Constantinople: Location, Location, Location As the western half of the Roman Empire declined, the emperor Constantine moved the capital of the empire to the east, where culture and trade were still vibrant. He established his capital in the city of Byzantium in 330 CE, renaming it for himself and continuing the building process that would make it worthy of being an imperial capital. Superbly designed for defense in time of war, the city also grew to boast impressive churches and government buildings. Study this map and use it to answer the questions that follow. You don’t need to use complete sentences. Constantinople

1. Color all water lightly with blue pencil. 2. On which continent is Constantinople located? _____________________________________ 3. (a) Asia Minor is (east, west, north, south) of Constantinople: _________________________

(b) Name the body of water that separates Europe and Asia: __________________________ 4. What body of water separates the two sections of Constantinople?______________________ 5. About how wide is the Bosporus Strait at Constantinople? ____________________________ 6. How did Constantinople protect the Golden Horn? __________________________________ 7. At which edge of the city are most of the buildings clustered? _________________________ 8. In the space below, give at least two reasons why Constantinople was a difficult city to

conquer. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________