The Hippodrome: Chariots, Riots, and Empire

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Hippodrome of Constantinople, the sprawling arena that was the city's political and social heart for over a millennium. They trace its origins from the Roman circus of Septimius Severus to its expansion under Constantine the Great, and delve into the chariot racing factions—the Blues and Greens—who were far more than sports teams, often serving as political mobs. The conversation covers the Nika Riots of 532, when the Hippodrome became a stage for imperial crisis, as well as the later use of the structure under the Ottomans, who repurposed it but left its monuments standing. The episode features the Serpent Column, the Obelisk of Theodosius, and the Walled Obelisk, and discusses how the Hippodrome connected Byzantine emperors to the people. Lucas and Luna also touch on the decline of the Hippodrome after the Fourth Crusade and its final transformation into the present-day Sultanahmet Square. The show is rich with specific details, from the starting gates (carceres) to the spina (central barrier), and includes anecdotes about Justinian, Theodora, and the fate of the monument under Mehmed II.

#Hippodrome #Constantinople #Istanbul #ByzantineEmpire #ChariotRacing #NikaRiots #BluesAndGreens #SerpentColumn #ObeliskOfTheodosius #ConstantineTheGreat #Justinian #Theodora #MehmedII #SultanahmetSquare #OttomanEmpire #ByzantineHistory #History #FexingoHistory #HagiaSophia #MehmedTheConqueror

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