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ing factions in the city, the Blues and the on fire and they fought the emperor’s security
Greens. One of the most violent incidents in forces.
the history of Istanbul, it claimed the lives of Amazingly, during all this, the Blues and
more than 30,000 citizens, and ravaged nearly Greens organized a chariot race to rally the
half of the city, including the Hagia Sophia. people against the emperor. Thousands of an-
Chariot racing fans followed either a white, gry citizens chanted "Nika" as a rallying cry.
red, blue, or green Nika means victory
team. Each team’s or conquer in Greek.
fans sat in individ- They besieged the
ual sections of the palace for five days,
Hippodrome. The forcing the emperor
Green and the Blue and his wife
teams were the most Theodora to con-
powerful and sider fleeing the
formed violent city. The riots ended
street gangs, some- when Byzantine
times killing their general Belisarius
rivals. The riots be- led his troops to the
gan when Blues fans Hippodrome, where
lost a big bet when they slaughtered
their team lost to 30,000 sports fans.
the Green team. The aftermath of
Members of both the Blues and the Greens the Nika Riots was profoundly negative, weak-
were arrested for murder, and many were exe- ening the empire's economy and prestige and
cuted. When some prisoners escaped, emperor exposing the fragility of the Emperor’s power.
Justinian ordered their capture and death. It led to a period of instability lasting hun-
Citizens sympathetic to the escapees’ plight dreds of years. Constantinople was never the
demanded pardons for them. The city was set same because a few fans lost a bet.

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