In the war of the Roman emperor Maxentius against Alexander, the Numidian usurper, the city was razed, and on its restoration in 313 ce, it was renamed for its patron, Constantine I the Great.
From 1204 ce it was under Latin rule until its capture by the Turks in 1455.
At its apogee (c. 500 ce), it encompassed some 8 square miles (20 square km) and supported a population estimated at 125,000 200,000, making it, at the time, one of the largest cities in the world.
At its height, toward the close of the 6th century ce, it covered about eight square miles and may have housed more than 150,000 inhabitants.
Coming as it did less than 20 years after the decisive edict against "paganism" by the emperor Theodosius I in 391 ce, it was followed by speculation that perhaps the Roman Empire had mistaken its way with the gods.
Conquered by the Romans during the 1st century ce, it became a busy trading station.
In the mid-3rd century ce it became the seat of a commandery called Zhaoling.
In the 7th century ce it was the capital of a Rajput kingdom.
In the 2nd century ce it received the titles "metropolis" and "first city" under the Romans.
By the 8th century ce it had become the principal city of northern Mesopotamia.
Written about 43 or 44 ce, it remained influential until the beginning of the age of exploration, 13 centuries later.
