The Hippodrome: Chariots, Riots, and Empire

In this episode of Constantinople to Istanbul, Lucas and Luna explore the Hippodrome of Constantinople, the immense chariot racing arena that was the social and political heart of the Byzantine Empire for over a thousand years. They trace its origins as a Roman circus built by Septimius Severus, expanded by Constantine the Great to hold 100,000 spectators. Lucas describes the intense rivalry between the Blues and Greens, chariot racing factions that evolved into political parties, and how their clashes culminated in the Nika Riots of 532, nearly toppling Justinian. They discuss the Hippodrome's decorated spina, adorned with monuments like the Serpent Column from Delphi, the Obelisk of Thutmose III, and the Walled Obelisk. Lucas explains how emperors used the Hippodrome to communicate with the populace, showcasing triumphs and executing enemies. Luna learns about the decline of chariot racing after the Fourth Crusade and the Hippodrome's transformation under Ottoman rule, when it became a site for festivities and, eventually, a source of building stone. The episode ends with a reflection on what remains today—a park in Sultanahmet—and the echoes of the crowds that once filled it.

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