The Roman Emperor Was Tied to Chariot Racing

The Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian the Great's palace was right next door to the Hippodrome arena with an attached walkway to his imperial skybox. In Constantinople and other eastern cities, such as Antioch, Alexandria, Ephesus and Thessalonica, the circus being located adjacent to the palace indicated the direct connection between the emperor, the races and the cult of “Nika” (victory).

​

Race fans chanted to the health of the emperor, Greens and Blues singing praises together in ceremonial response. Everyone cheered the emperor, because that was why they were there, to praise him and thus God almighty who granted the emperors their authority. The races, the Colors, the fans were part of the cult of Nika that surrounded the emperor. These were not just races but ritual as well. The concept of Nika was one of many holdovers from the days of paganism when concepts like victory were worshiped almost as dearly as the many gods.

 

The people expected their races and got as many as 70 days of them a year, with up to 24 races each day. These were also the opportunity to ask the emperor for changes – more subsidies for bread, lower taxes or the removal of a hated minister. The races were the only place people could petition the emperor or let him know what was on their mind – to even threaten the emperor with massed anger and get results.

​

In sixth-century Constantinople, the established relationship of fans’ imperial loyalty through racing was breaking down, in large part because Emperor Justinian was changing the independent nature of the factions and bringing them under imperial control. This was a shift that did not sit well the Green and Blue factions nor their fans. It also coincided with Justinian’s usurpation of powers of the aristocracy.