Built in the seventh century BCE, the ancient city of Byzantium proved to be a valuable city for both the Greeks and Romans. Because it lay on the European side of the Strait of Bosporus, the Emperor Constantine understood its strategic importance and upon reuniting the empire in 324 CE built his new capital there – Constantinople.
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Timeline
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272 CEPossible year of Emperor Constantine's birth.
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308 CEConstantine I named "caesar" of the west.
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11 May 330 CEConstantinople is founded on the site of old Byzantium as "the new Rome."
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c. 331 CEThe Great Palace of Constantinople is first built by Constantine I.
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337 CEDeath of Constantine.
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337 CEDeath of Emperor Constantine I.
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360 CEFirst Hagia Sophia built in Constantinople.
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363 CEDeath of Julian the Apostate.
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379 CE - 395 CEReign of Theodosius the Great.
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391 CEChristianity becomes official religion of Empire.
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410 CE - 413 CEThe Theodosian Walls are built to better protect Constantinople.
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1 Apr 527 CECoronation of Justinian I and Theodora in the Hagia Sophia Church in Constantinople.
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532 CENika Revolt in Constantinople.
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532 CEHagia Sophia rebuilt by Justinian.
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532 CE - 537 CEHagia Sophia is built anew in Constantinople.
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10 Jan 532 CEThe Nika Riots are triggered in Constantinople when two members of the chariot teams of the Blues and Greens, sentenced to death, are denied clemency by Emperor Justinian I. The riots broke out on 13 January and lasted a week with an estimated death toll of around 30,000.
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13 Jan 532 CEThe Nika Riots begin in Constantinople over a dispute between fans of the chariot teams of the Blues and Greens with Emperor Justinian I turns into a widespread civil conflict. Half the city is burned, and thousands killed, until Empress Theodora forces her husband to act.
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18 Jan 532 CEThe Nika Riots in Constantinople are suppressed when generals Belisarius and Mundus trap the protestors inside the Hippodrome and massacre them, resulting in the deaths of at least 30,000 people before order is restored on 20 January.
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626 CEA coalition of Persians, Slavs, Avars and Bulgars unsuccessfully lays siege to Constantinople.
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674 CE - 678 CEThe Arab Umayyad Caliphate unsuccessfully besieges Constantinople.
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678 CEFirst recorded use of Greek Fire in Byzantine warfare during the Arab siege of Constantinople.
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705 CEJustinian II besieges Constantinople and reinstates himself as Byzantine emperor, removing the usurper Tiberios III.
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711 CEPope Constantine visits Constantinople at the invitation of Byzantine emperor Justinian II.
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717 CE - 718 CEGreek Fire is used by Byzantine ships to attack an Arab fleet besieging Constantinople.
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730 CEByzantine emperor Leo III decrees that all religious icons be destroyed.
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741 CE - 775 CEReign of Byzantine emperor Constantine V
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821 CE - 822 CEGreek Fire is used by Byzantine ships to attack a Slav fleet besieging Constantinople.
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Dec 821 CE - Dec 823 CEThomas the Slav unsuccessfully besieges Constantinople.
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11 Mar 843 CEThe event known as "The Triumph of Orthodoxy" takes place at the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople as Empress Theodora, acting as regent for her son, Michael III, leads a procession to restore the icons that were removed, ending the iconoclastic controversy.
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867 CE - 886 CEReign of Byzantine emperor Basil I.
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907 CEOleg, Prince of Kiev, attacks the Byzantine capital Constantinople.
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941 CEGreek Fire is used by Romanos I's fleet against a Russian fleet attacking Constantinople.
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976 CE - 1025 CEReign of Byzantine emperor Basil II.
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994 CETrdat the Architect completes his reconstruction of the dome of Hagia Sophia, Constantinople.
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1025 CE - 1028 CEReign of Byzantine emperor Constantine VIII.
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1 Aug 1096 CEPeter the Hermit and the main body of the People's Crusade arrives in Constantinople. Most are later killed by the Turks or sold into slavery in October.
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1097 CEThe First Crusaders arrive at Constantinople.
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1133 CEByzantine emperor John II Komnenos celebrates a triumph in Constantinople after five successful campaigns in Asia Minor.
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Sep 1147 CE - Oct 1147 CEThe armies of the Second Crusade arrive in Constantinople.
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1149 CEA fleet led by George of Antioch attacks Constantinople.
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1202 CE - 1204 CEThe Fourth Crusade is formed to recapture Jerusalem for Christendom. Instead, the Crusaders attack Constantinople.
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24 Jun 1203 CEThe army of the Fourth Crusade arrives at Constantinople.
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12 Apr 1204 CEConstantinople is sacked by the Fourth Crusaders.
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9 May 1204 CECount Baldwin of Flanders is made the first Latin Emperor of Constantinople.
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29 May 1453 CEOttoman Sultan Mehmed II sacks Constantinople.
