Nika Riots, the Mob and the Mafia in old Constantinople (532 AD)

Last time I mentioned Nika riots which may be the biggest event that was staged in the Hippodrome of Constantinople, and it was presented by the spectators.

The setting was set by the high taxes and political dissent in the senate.  May be the crime rates soared too in this troubled period because some members of the Blues and the Greens were arrested for murder. I think using their political leverage the factions have the sentences commuted to imprisonment. When one thinks of the supporters of a certain chariot team,  one have to think of a cross between mob, street gang, mafia and some deep political connections to settled power holders like aristocrats or members in the senate. Like mafia it demanded ruthless action and political connections and just like Rome is ruled by the mob, Nova Roma was ruled by them too. These connections may go down well to the level of the commoner. By using this natural power of the mob one can also reach some political aim. But like all natural powers, like the wind, this potential of a mixture of hate and ignorance had to be used very carefully.

On the 13^th of January a new chariot race was held but mob action was gaining momentum. Now they wanted to have the men pardoned entirely. And insults to Justinian followed it. When the day was about to end the supporters started to shout “Nika!” which means “Win!” in unison.  The action of the mob was getting stronger and they assaulted the palace.

If you remember from the earlier post the hippodrome and the palace was side by side and Emperor had a direct way going to his private lodge (Kathisma) in the tribune. Justinian must have run straight back to the palace when the assault started. The palace was under siege for 5 days. It’s said nearly half of the city was burned even Hagia Sophia. Setting fire in the city was also a way of showing dissent. It was like a threat. It meant give us what we want for this to finish as soon as possible. The crowd asked for the dismissal of the tax collector prefect John the Cappadocian and legal code  writer Tribonian and declared a new emperor, Hypatius. The riot was in fact a coup d’etait in the making.

The coup was thought to be successful. Now we were reaching a critical moment, make or break moment. Justinian was a hardworking emperor and approaching the situation with caution and was considering fleeing. His wife, one named Theodora, she was an actress in the theatre and a quasi prostitute and must have seen the roughness of life. Her character was I believe quite the opposite of Justinian. Whereas Justinian was a hardworking man who burned the midnight oil, I think she might have been a real temptress who lives on her impulses. She might be cheery enough to make an impression on the emperor to marry her but ruthlessness comes as the other side of medallion with these kind of people. If she were a good actress she must have been a real histrionic.She told Justinian 

“Those who have worn the crown should never survive its loss. Never will I see the day when I am not saluted as empress. Royalty is a fine burial shroud”. 

During the Islamic Revolution in Iran the Shah didn’t stand the ground and flew his jet away. If he were to have a wife from the plebs like Theodora he might have stayed. Justinian might have looked at the escape route to the Marmara Sea one last time. Then he turned back to operate their plan.  

They planned to buy the Blue supporters and turn them against the Greens. They had gathered the supporters in the hippodrome and gave gold to the Blues and provoked them against the Greens by saying Hypatius is green and Emperor is also Blue and is behind you. This bargaining was done by a popular eunuch called Narses who according to the records a very lean man but a very energetic one. How must have Justinian and Theodora waited for the results of the bargain, in their fear of life. Narses might have told them they have accepted it and a small relief might come to them. I guess the Blues also might’ve assessed the forces of general Belisarius waiting outside and when they got the money found no reason to fight for the throne of Hypatius of Green.

At the coronation the Blues are said to storm out of the hippodrome. The Greens must have been stunned. I think for a moment they felt being abandoned and maybe were grumbling. When the doors were shut, they must have understood the end is near. Being encircled means losing the battle. Belisarius’ men entered to finish the job.

30000 rioters were killed that day. I don’t know how much time is necessary for that much killing with swords only. Hypatius was executed and the senators who supported were exiled.