No city in the world can be said to straddle two continents, except for Istanbul. This imposing city with 15 million inhabitants, washed by the mighty Bosphorus from the east, and the Sea of Marmara from the south, represents the fearless capital of the former Eastern Roman Empire, then the Ottoman Empire, and later the state of Turkey. The city also includes groups of islands in the Sea of Marmara, which are better known as the Prince's Islands. As it spans two continents, the city itself can be divided into old Istanbul, which is located in the Asian part, and modern Istanbul, which belongs to Europe.
Although Istanbul is thought to have been inhabited as early as 3000 BC, it was not a city until Greek colonists from Megara arrived in the area in the 7th century BC. Megara was led by King Byzas and settled there because of its strategic location along the Bosporus. This is the reason why the city got its name Byzantion. In 196 there was a civil war when Byzantium was besieged by Septimus Severus. In that war, the city suffered great damage, but after coming to power, Septim completely rebuilt Byzantium. In the 300s, Byzantium became part of the Roman Empire.
