Which of the following statements concerning urbanization within the Byzantine Empire is most correct?
a. Constantinople began to decline in population in the later years of the Byzantine Empire and was surpassed by the growth of other urban centers
b. most people in the Byzantine Empire lasted in five great cities: Constantinople, Nicaea, Smyrna, Rome, and Athens
c. Constantinople controlled the economy and grew to enormous size, but other cities were relatively small
d. like China, the Byzantine Empire was heavily urbanized with many cities numbering more than 100,000
e. Constantinople was never a center of trade, but dominated the empire culturally
Answer: C