AH discussion.
With a time period of 600 to 1453, what city or cities would you find exceptionally defensible, economically dominant and culturally important.
Also I would like to compare these cities in terms of their relevance for the period. Especially when it comes to comparing the defensibility and importance of major settlements like Baghdad to Constantinople. For instance one observation is the indefensibility of Jerusalem despite its influential and religious importance.
Some cities like Cteshipon can be included with their feats from the past if warranted and carried over in the time period to be discussed. Such as, Cteshipon, was it as defensible as Baghdad and how could the defense of Abbasid powers go in a location of Cteshipon or insert city.