According to Strabo, Istanbul was founded in the 7th century BC by colonists who came from Megara under the leadership of Byzas. According to a popular legend, before coming here, the Megarians went to the Temple of Delphi and consulted the oracle about where they should establish their settlement. The oracle’s answer was “opposite the land of the blind.” When they arrived at the peninsula of the old city and saw an old settlement on the Asian side, they believed that the people living there must have been blind not to see the beauty of the peninsula and its surroundings. Remembering the words of the Delphic oracle, they founded the city of Byzantion, a name derived from their leader, Byzas. For the following thousand years, Byzantion became an important center of trade. However, unlike many contemporary cities in Anatolia, Byzantion did not gain much cultural importance. Leaving the founding legend of Istanbul aside, archaeological discoveries made during the construction of the Yenikapı metro station in 2004 revealed important evidence about the city’s ancient history. First, the remains of the Theodosius Harbour, dating from the Byzantine period, were discovered. More than 35 shipwrecks were found buried beneath the alluvial deposits brought into the harbor by the Lykos Stream. Most of the ships, which had remained buried beneath the clay soil, were remarkably well preserved. Just as the excavations were reaching the bottom of the harbor and were about to be completed, Neolithic graves and other archaeological remains dating back approximately 8,000 years were discovered at a lower level beneath the harbor. These Neolithic discoveries changed our understanding of the history of ancient Istanbul, located on the Historical Peninsula. More recently, graves dating back to the Chalcolithic period have also been discovered during metro excavations in Beşiktaş. All of this shows that Istanbul has attracted interest and been home to different communities not only since the 7th century BC, but for approximately 5,400 years before the arrival of the Megarians. In AD 324, Constantine I defeated Licinius and became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire. In AD 330, he established a new capital at Byzantion, which would later be called Constantinople, meaning “the city of Constantine.” Constantine I’s decision to make Byzantion the capital of the Roman Empire became a major turning point in the history of Istanbul. From that point onward, Istanbul remained one of the most important cities in the world. Constantine I also legalized Christianity within the Roman Empire and began the construction of churches. Constantinople became not only the new capital of the empire but also a symbol of the triumph of Christianity. Famous for being one of the most frequently besieged cities in the world, Istanbul was repeatedly besieged before it was conquered by the Turks. These included the Persian satrap Darius in 513 BC, the Athenian Alcibiades in 408 BC, Philip II of Macedon in 339 BC, the Arabs in AD 673–678 and 717–718, the Bulgarians in AD 813 and 913, and the Fourth Crusade, which succeeded in capturing the city in AD 1203–1204. After Constantinople was conquered by the Turks in 1453, it served as the capital of the Ottoman Empire until 1923. With the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, Ankara, also known as Angora, was declared the capital. Between 1918 and 1923, the city was occupied by Britain, France, and Italy. During the Ottoman period, the city had several different names. Among the main ones were Konstantiniyye, Polis, Stımbol, Estambul, Dersaadet, Asitane, Payitaht, İstambol, and İstanbul. After the Republic of Turkey was established on October 29, 1923, the names “Konstantiniyye” and, abroad, “Constantinople,” continued to be used for almost the first seven years. However, on March 28, 1930, under the Turkish Postal Service Law, the city’s official name was changed to “Istanbul.” The names Constantinople and Konstantiniyye were officially removed from use. The Turkish authorities also requested that foreigners use the name Istanbul, and this practice was subsequently implemented.