Final answer:
Constantinople was an ideal location for a new Roman capital due to its defensibility and strategic position, geographical centrality, and access to resources. Its control over critical trade routes made it a hub of wealth and power, with robust fortifications contributing to its long-standing impregnability.
Step-by-step explanation:
Constantinople's ideal location for the new Roman capital city was due to several factors. Primarily, its defensibility and strategic position provided significant advantages. The city controlled the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, acting as the gateway between Europe and Asia. This location was not only central but also vital for trade and military movements, making it the heart of East/West trade.
In addition, Constantinople’s proximity to trade routes and the frontiers along the Euphrates increased its importance. Geographical centrality enabled the city to thrive as a hub of commerce, which was essential for the wealth and power of the Eastern Roman Empire. Its robust fortifications were unmatched, with walls so strong that the city was considered impregnable for centuries.
The city also became a major terminus point of the Silk Road, enhancing access to a variety of resources and generating tremendous wealth. This influence facilitated the control over luxury goods such as silk, which the Byzantine Empire monopolized. Consequently, the abundance of resources and the regulatory system ensured steady economic growth and tax revenues for the empire.