New Rome facts for kids
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 Location in Istanbul
Location in Marmara
Location in Turkey
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| Alternative name | Byzantion (earlier Greek name) |
|---|---|
| Location | Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey |
| Region | Marmara Region |
| Coordinates | 41°0′50″N 28°57′20″E / 41.01389°N 28.95556°E |
| Type | Imperial city |
| Part of | Roman Empire |
| Area | 6 km2 (2.3 sq mi) enclosed within Constantinian Walls |
| History | |
| Builder | Constantine the Great |
| Founded | 11 May 330 |
| Periods | Late antiquity |
| Cultures |
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New Rome (Greek: Νέα Ῥώμη, Néa Rhṓmē; Koinē Greek: [ˈne̞a ˈr̥o̞ːme̞ː]; Latin: Nova Roma; Late Latin: [ˈnɔwa ˈroma]) was the original name given by the Roman emperor Constantine the Great to his new imperial capital in 330 CE. This important city was built by expanding an older city called Byzantium. It was located on the European coast of the Bosporus strait, a narrow waterway connecting two seas.
The city was first founded as Byzantion (Greek: Βυζάντιον) by Greek settlers from Megara in 657 BCE. Emperor Constantine the Great renamed it "New Rome" (Nova Roma) when he made it the new capital of the Roman Empire in 330 CE. However, he soon changed the name again to Constantinople (Constantinopolis), which means "City of Constantine." Much later, in the 20th century, the city was officially renamed Istanbul after the country of Turkey was formed in 1923.
Constantine's Grand Plan
Constantine the Great wanted a magnificent new capital for his empire. From 326 to 330 CE, he rebuilt and expanded the city on a huge scale. He even designed parts of it to look like the original city of Rome.
Why "New Rome"?
The name "New Rome" was chosen to show that this city, later called Constantinople, was the second main capital of the Roman Empire. It was meant to be just as important as the first Rome. During this time, the city was also called other names like "the New, second Rome" and "Eastern Rome."
Even today, the leader of the Orthodox Christian Church in Istanbul, known as the Ecumenical Patriarch, still uses "New Rome" as part of his official title. This shows how important the name remains.
A Temporary Capital
Before Constantine built New Rome, the Roman Empire had a system called the Tetrarchy. This system divided the empire into four parts, each with its own ruler. In the eastern part of the empire, the main capital was Nicomedia (which is now İzmit in Turkey).
Constantine fought against the last co-emperor in Nicomedia, Licinius, and defeated him in 324 CE. After his victory, Constantine used Nicomedia as his temporary capital while he worked on building and expanding Byzantium into "New Rome" (Constantinople). Constantine himself passed away near Nicomedia in 337 CE.
See also
- Second Rome (disambiguation)
- Third Rome
