Nika riots
Chariot-racing fans nearly topple Justinian
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Fans of the rival Blue and Green chariot teams united against the emperor under the cry 'Nika!' ('Conquer!') and burned half the city. Justinian was ready to flee until Empress Theodora talked him out of it; Procopius puts the dead at about 30,000.
Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 6th century
Did you know
Emperor Justinian was nearly overthrown by sports fans. In 532 supporters of the Blue and Green chariot teams dropped their feud, burned half of Constantinople and proclaimed a rival emperor. Share →
Constantinople owes Hagia Sophia to rioting sports fans. The previous church burned in the Nika riots of 532, and Justinian built the present one on its site in just five years. Share →
During the Nika riots it was his wife who stopped Justinian from fleeing. Empress Theodora, Procopius says, declared that 'royalty is a fine burial shroud'. The emperor stayed — and crushed the revolt. Share →
Meanwhile around the world (±25 years)
Middle East
- 529–534 Code of Justinian — 3 years earlier
Asia
- c. 538 Buddhism reaches Japan — 6 years later
- 552 Founding of the First Turkic Khaganate — 20 years later
Alive at the time
- Justinian I (aged 50)
- Aryabhata (aged 56)
- Theodora (aged 32)
- Khosrow I (aged 31)