Now to get you in the mood for this blog post about history...
Most likely most of you, like myself, know that Istanbul used to be called Constantinople. I had no idea, however, that Istanbul has been known by so many other names as well!
Byzantium: first known name of the city - founded by Greek colonists in 667 BC. Later the East Roman Empire was known as the "Byzantine" empire - although this was MUCH later: German historian Hieronymus Wolf dubbed it such 100 years after it had fallen.
Augusta Antonina: for a brief period in the 3rd Century AD by Roman conquerers
New Rome, Alma Roma, Roma Constantinopolitana: The Romans, obviously. before Constantine the Great took over in 330
Constantinople: The name that became widely known when Constantine the Great was powerful - Also Latin Constantinopolis and Greek Konstantinoupolis
Konstantiniyye: Name that bacome widely known in the Arab world during and after Constantine's time
Istanbul: since the 10th Century in a range of forms - comes from the Greek for "The City" or "To the City". Also Stimbol, Islambol, Stamboul
Other languages: Hebrew - Kushtandina, Icelandic - Miklagarour (the old Norse name that came into use after Viking contact with the Byzantines)
Love!
