Much as we pride ourselves on our ancestry, you flatter us too much- our ancestors did not have a democracy, although they came uniquely close to their age. The historical evidence suggests they would identify people as Romans based on ethnicity, not virtue.

Constantinople was a well-defended city, but it was too far east to be an efficient seat of government. In addition, it further seperated the Roman people from the Empire they had earned.

Finally, the true ancient Romans of the Republican era would not have considered Marcus Aurelius a Roman.