Denser? Probably - if anything because Rome's population was more spread out to start with and numbers fell fairly dramatically at various points. More layered

Denser? Probably - if anything because Rome's population was more spread out to start with and numbers fell fairly dramatically at various points. More layered? I doubt it. Byzantium was much more stable for centuries, Rome was officially and unofficially conquered several times and mutated fashions very often. Obviously the differences might look more striking in Istanbul because of the Ottoman conquest.