On January 13, 532, a tense and angry populace arrived at the
Hippodrome for the races.[
citation needed] The Hippodrome was next to the
palace complex, and thus Justinian could watch from the safety of his box in the palace and preside over the races. From the start, the crowd had been hurling insults at Justinian. By the end of the day, at race 22, the partisan chants had changed from "Blue" or "Green" to a unified Nίκα (
"Nika", meaning "Win!" "Victory!" or "Conquer!"), and the crowds broke out and began to assault the palace. For the next five days, the palace was under siege.[
citation needed]
The fires that started during the tumult resulted in the destruction of much of the city, including the city's foremost church, the Hagia Sophia (which Justinian would later rebuild).
Some of the
senators saw this as an opportunity to overthrow Justinian, as they were opposed to his new taxes and his lack of support for the
nobility.[
citation needed] The rioters, now armed and probably controlled by their allies in the Senate, also demanded that Justinian dismiss the
prefect John the Cappadocian and the
quaestor Tribonian. They then declared a new emperor,
Hypatius, who was a nephew of former Emperor
Anastasius I.[
citation needed]
Justinian, in despair, considered fleeing, but his wife
Theodora is said to have dissuaded him, saying, "Those who have worn the crown should never survive its loss. Never will I see the day when I am not saluted as empress."
[10] She is also credited with adding, "[W]ho is born into the light of day must sooner or later die; and how could an Emperor ever allow himself to be a fugitive."
[11] Although an escape route across the sea lay open for the emperor, Theodora insisted that she would stay in the city, quoting an ancient saying, "Royalty is a fine burial shroud," or perhaps, "[the royal color] Purple makes a fine winding sheet."
[12]
As Justinian rallied himself, he created a plan that involved
Narses, a popular
eunuch, as well as the generals
Belisarius and
Mundus. Carrying a bag of gold given to him by Justinian, the slightly built eunuch entered the Hippodrome alone and unarmed against a murderous mob that had already killed hundreds. Narses went directly to the Blues' section, where he approached the important Blues and reminded them that Emperor Justinian supported them over the Greens. He also reminded them that Hypatius, the man they crowned, was a Green. Then, he distributed the gold. The Blue leaders spoke quietly with each other and then they spoke to their followers. Then, in the middle of Hypatius' coronation, the Blues stormed out of the Hippodrome. The Greens sat, stunned.
Then, Imperial troops led by Belisarius and Mundus stormed into the Hippodrome, killing any remaining rebels indiscriminately be they Blues or Greens.[11]
About thirty thousand rioters were reportedly killed.
[13] Justinian also had Hypatius executed and exiled the senators who had supported the riot. He then rebuilt Constantinople and the Hagia Sophia and was free to establish his rule.
this is also the first destruction of the famed Hagia Sophia...the current one is actually a replica
