Byzantium was an ancient city, and later the centre of the Byzantine Empire. Constantine the Great gave it a new name, Constantinople, and today the same place is called Istanbul, in Turkey.

Byzantium was拜占庭曾經是 an ancient city一座古城, and later後來又成為 the centre of the Byzantine Empire拜占庭帝國的中心。Constantine the Great gave it a new name君士坦丁大帝給它取了新名字, Constantinople叫做君士坦丁堡, and today而今天, in Turkey在土耳其, the same place同一個地方 is called被稱為 Istanbul伊斯坦堡。

When history books say Byzantium, they mean that old city, or sometimes the whole world that city ruled. It is a proper name, so we write it with a capital B.

When history books say Byzantium當歷史書提到拜占庭, they mean他們指的是 that old city那座古城, or sometimes或者有時候 the whole world那座城市 that city ruled所統治的整個世界。It is a proper name這是一個專有名詞, so we write it with a capital B所以字首要大寫寫成B。

You will meet it in history class more than in daily talk. The related word Byzantine can mean “from that empire,” and people also stretch it to mean rules or plans that are twisting and too complicated — though that stretch is about the adjective, not the city name itself.

You will meet it你會在 in history class歷史課上遇到這個字 more than in daily talk比在日常對話裡遇到的多。The related word相關的字 Byzantine Byzantine can mean可以指「from that empire那個帝國的」, and people also stretch it人們也把它引伸 to mean rules or plans指規則或計畫, that are twisting and too complicated曲折又太複雜 — though that stretch不過這個引伸的用法 is about the adjective是指形容詞, not the city name itself而不是城市名稱本身。