Western Civilization I / Unit 9 WC1 0812 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Constantinople: Silk, Guilds, Coin, Court
Captions available
The idea
Silkworms smuggled from China about five fifty gave the emperor a silk monopoly. Guilds were regulated for steady taxes, coinage was trusted as far as England, and rank-coded court dress made power visible to the illiterate. The anchor's million people in the late eighth century.
In practice
No western city above fifteen thousand.
Where people slip
The million is the anchor's figure. Attribute it.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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