Strata: In History

May 11, 330 A.D. Dedication ceremony of the city of Constantinople (modern Istanbul). Roman Emperor Constantine the Great established the city—his new capital—in northwestern Turkey. Built on top of Byzantium—a city founded by the Greeks in the seventh century B.C.—Constantinople served as an ideal bridge between Europe and Asia and remained the capital of four empires (Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman) over the next 16 centuries.

This scene from Hagia Sophia depicts Constantine I (right) presenting the city of Constantinople to the enthroned Jesus and his mother, Mary, while Justinian (left) presents a model of Hagia Sophia.