Constantinople changed drastically and incorporated Greek and Christian culture that formed a unified culture. The capital of the Byzantine empire was majorly influenced by Latin, Coptic, Armenian, Persian and Islamic cultures, leading to diversity and ethnicity within the city. Located at the mouth of the Bosporus straits and controlled trade routes between the Mediterranean and Black Seas, it became the center of trade and interactions in the “New” world. Merchants from Constantinople actively traded with regions in the Mediterranean, the East and the West, including Black and Red Sea and the Indian Ocean trade. Cultural practices and arts influenced many other regions such as Greece, Bulgaria, Russia, Egypt and Serbia. Arts and the Christian