Question

Which of the following cities is the most centrally located in the Byzantine Empire?

Carthage

Ravenna

Constantinople

Antioch

Answer 1

Tricky. Probably Constantinople. In the later Empire, it was significantly west of the center of gravity of the Empire, but it was more "central" in the sense of being easy to get to for everyone, being located on the major transportation nexus (the shores of the Black and Aegean Seas.

Carthage is in Spain, only part of the Empire briefly under Justinian, and Ravenna is in northern Italy, in the extreme west of the later Empire Antioch is in northern Lebanon, near Turkey, and in the southeast corner. I believe it was lost to the Empire later anyway.

Answer 2

I would definitely go with Constantinople. It was physically, politically, and spiritually the heart of the Byzantine Empire throughout its history. By the time it rose to prominence, Rome, and Italy in general, were considered backwater regions to the real action further East especially thanks to trade from the Orient and the front lines being drawn up against the caliphates along its eastern frontier.

The other cities don't make much sense in that regard, although each one fell under the Byzantines' rule at one point or another. Carl's reasons for why they didn't matter already cover why. Antioch was actually considered a center of eastern learning for the empire at one point with libraries better than those in Rome. I think, though, that Carthage might have been swapped for Cartagena in Spain. The Carthage here is likely the city in Tunis, Northern Africa, and that also fell under the Byzantines' sway for a time. But Cartagena comes from being called "New Carthage" in Roman days, apparently to rub even more salt into the wound of their former enemies.

Answer 3

Oops, you're 100% right about Cartagena, Cap. Braino. Thanks for the correction.

Answer 4

Constantinople.