BYZAN'TIIIM, a city which stood on the Thracian Bosporus, was first founded by emigrants from Megara in 667 B.C., and rapidly rose to importance as a seat of com merce. Its position was at once secure and enchanting; it commanded the shores of Europe and Asia, had magnificent facilities for trade, and was also encircled with rich, picturesque, and varied scenery. After a time of subjugation under Darius llystaspes, B. was liberated from the Persian yoke by Pausanias. Along with other Grecian sea ports, B. revolted from Athens in 440 B.c., but was captured by Alcibiades (408). Lysan der recovered it for the Lacedemonians in 405. Shortly afterwards, it renewed its alliance with Athens, and in 390, Thrasybulus altered its form of government from an olig,archy into a democracy. When Athens again acquired a dangerous importance as a naval power, B., in 356, leagued itself with Chios, Rhodes, and king Mausolus II., of Carta, and crippled tl.e trade of the former city; with which, however, it again formed an alliance, through the influence of Demosthenes, in opposition to Philip of Macedon, who, in 341-340 B.C., vainly besieged Byzantium. Under Alexander the great, B.
retained a certain degree of independence. For some time, B. was tributary to the Gauls, who settled in'Thrace, after the death of Brennus (280 n.c.). After the second Punic war, when the Romans began to interfere in the affairs of Grecian and Asiatic cities. B. attached itself to Rome, and, retaining almost entire its former liberties, main tained also its commercial importance. In the civil war between Septimius Severus and Pescennius Niger, B. sided with the latter. It was therefore besieged by Severus, and, after a brave defense of 3 years' duration, was captured in 196 A.D., and reduced to ruin. Severns, repenting of the desolation which he had made, rebuilt a part of the city under the name of Augusta Antonin, and ornamented it with baths, porticos, etc. Caracqlla restored to the inhabitants their ancient privileges; and in 330 A.D., under the name of New Rome or Constantinople, it was made the metropolis of the Roman empire.
See CONSTANTINOPLE.