Great Tours: Greece and Turkey, from Athens to Istanbul Season 1 Episode 22 Istanbul: Capital of the Byzantine Emperors

In this first lecture on the wonders of Istanbul, study the history of the Byzantine Empire and the establishment of Byzantium as a new Rome. Encounter imposing elements of this culture in the cathedral-like Basilica Cistern, the Theodosian Walls, and the impassioned rituals of the Hippodrome, nerve center of Byzantine life.