The ancient city that served as a critical trade hub in the Middle East, later becoming known as Constantinople, is Bysantium. Situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, its strategic location facilitated extensive trade and cultural exchange. When Emperor Constantine the Great renamed it in 330 AD, it became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Under Byzantine rule, its wealth and influence grew, and it remained a pivotal center for commerce, art, and religion for centuries.