The Stadium War
When sports hooligans burned down the capital of the world
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Beschreibung
Read the incredible story of 532 AD, when rival chariot racing fans united to burn down Constantinople and overthrow the Emperor.
"The Stadium War – When sports hooligans burned down the capital of the world" recounts the Nika Riots of 532 AD. In Constantinople, chariot racing was more than a sport; the two main teams, the Blues and the Greens, were powerful political factions. When Emperor Justinian refused to pardon two team leaders, the rival fans united against him.
Historian Walter Flame details how the "Nika!" (Conquer!) chants in the Hippodrome turned into a massacre. The rioters burned half the city, including the Hagia Sophia, and besieged the palace. Justinian nearly fled, saved only by the courage of Empress Theodora, who told him, "Purple is the noblest shroud."
"The Stadium War" is the ultimate example of sports fanaticism turned into revolution. It shows how the tribalism of the arena can spill into the streets, threatening to topple empires.
Autor*in
Walter Flame
Author
Themen in »The Stadium War«
Nika Riots Constantinople Chariot Racing Justinian I Theodora Sports Hooliganism 532 AD