The Nika revolt in sixth century Constantinople

Nika Revolt

In Constantinople in the 6th century AD, the major sporting event of the day was the chariot race. There were several different teams, each with its own color -- such as the Blues, the Greens, the Reds, and the Whites. These teams were dedicated, however, to more than racing. Their activities included politics as well. During Justinian's time, the Blues and the Greens were factions of considerable power and prestige. Justinian had always been a supporter of the Blues. Yet, when the Nika revolt erupted at the Hippodrome in 532, the Blues and the Greens joined together to overthrow the emperor. This paper will analyze the Nika revolt and examine the sides involved and their motive for rioting.

As Procopius relates, every city in Byzantium had "been divided for a long time past into the Blue and the Green factions," which by and by had become obsessed with cruelty and inhumanity.

Riots often followed the chariot races, and when the rioting became out of control and resulted in death, several rioters from both factions were arrested and sentenced to be executed.

A pair of condemned miraculously survived hanging and were being granted asylum at a nearby church. At the next chariot race in the Hippodrome, both the Greens and the Blues began to sing out the one cry, "Nika," which means "conquer."

The Emperor Justinian was at a loss. He sensed a terrible wave of rebellion and did not know how to proceed. Riots began and fires spread across the city. Justinian, in an attempt to restore order, went on with the chariot races as scheduled, hoping that the riots were nothing more than the usual outpouring of violence. Unfortunately, the two racing factions were now too enraged to be calmed by sport and diversion. Fires were begun again "at the northern end of the Hippodrome, and the conflagration destroyed the neighboring baths of Zeuxippus."

However, the Greens and the Blues united in their outrage and other factional influences joined the fray. Their anger was fueled by any number of injustices which they felt sharply. For instance, there was Justinian's "selection of unpopular administrators" as well as his costly war against Persia, in which the great commander Belisarius had fought and from which he had recently returned. Taxes were also extremely high, the administrator of his Code was viewed as corrupt, and his own claim to the crown was deemed by many as illegitimate.

Some of these complaints seemed justified to many, in spite of Justinian's good traits and practices. However, as discontent flared up among the savage, as Procopius called them, a riot took hold of the city and Justinian's power was questioned. An alternative to the throne was found in Hypatius, who was actually nephew to the former emperor.

Justinian did not quite know whether to flee or stay and fight. In fact, abandoning the throne seemed like the safest course of action -- but his wife, the Empress Theodora, was not interested in safe courses of action. To her, flight was an undignified response to rebellion. She stated boldly that it is more becoming to die in one's royal robes than to be an emperor in exile. Justinian's wife inspired them to make a bold defense, and Justinian set about an appropriate course of action.

The rebels, meanwhile, had led Hypatius to the seat where Justinian was used to watch the races at the Hippodrome. Hypatius took it and in effect showed that he was willing to be made the new Emperor. His followers gathered together in the Hippodrome. There the Blues and the Greens showed their support for Hypatius. Justinian now saw his chance. He had always supported the Blues in the past, and now he thought to win them once more. He sent a slave into the Hippodrome to remind the Blues that the Emperor was their friend. As a token of his friendship, he supplied them a purse full of gold. The Blues remembered their loyalty to the Emperor and departed the Hippodrome.