May 11 - Constantinople Founded (330) | History Happened Today

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]11th of May, 330. The newly built city of Constantinople was dedicated to Emperor Constantine the Great. The city, formerly known as Byzantium, was strategically located on the Bosphorus Strait. It became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Constantine transformed a small Greek colony into a magnificent Imperial capital. Massive churches, palaces, and public buildings rose throughout the city. The famous Hippodrome, a stadium for chariot races, dominated the city center.

[00:00:31]Constantinople would remain one of the world's great cities for over a thousand years. It became the heart of Byzantine civilization and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The city's founding marked the beginning of a new era in Roman history.