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This article discusses the evolution of the perception of the Straits in ancient times. It seems that between the second and the beginning of the fourth century, the representations of this region progressively changed. Traditionally seen as a fracture area between two continents, the Straits have been gradually perceived as a link that must be protected, especially during civil wars. The troubled times between the third and the beginning of the fourth century appear to have played a key role in this intellectual construction, which led to the installation of new sites of imperial residence. Formerly peripheral, the Straits were now conceived as central, which resulted in a different discourse in the fourth century.