Hippodrome of Constantinople
Chariot-racing arena and social heart of Byzantine Constantinople.
The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that functioned as the sporting and social hub of the Eastern Roman Empire’s capital. Its site is now Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey. The name “hippodrome” combines the Greek words for horse and path, and it is sometimes called “Horse Square” in Turkish. Horse and chariot racing were common in the ancient world, and such arenas were typical in Greek cities during the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods.
The Hippodrome predates Constantinople’s imperial era. The first version was built when the city was still called Byzantium, a modest provincial town. In AD 203, Emperor Septimius Severus rebuilt the city, expanded its walls, and added a hippodrome for chariot races and other entertainment. In AD 324, Emperor Constantine the Great refounded Byzantium as Nova Roma after his victory at the Battle of Chrysopolis, but the city soon became known as Constantinople. Constantine greatly enlarged the city and renovated the Hippodrome. His version was U-shaped, with starting gates (carceres) at the northern end and a curved tribune (sphendone) at the southern end, the lower part of which still survives. The central barrier (spina) was decorated with monuments, including a monolithic obelisk whose base shows relief carvings of its erection. The stands could hold about 100,000 spectators. The emperor’s lodge (Kathisma) was at the eastern end of the track and connected directly to the Great Palace via a passage reserved for the emperor and his family.
The Hippodrome was filled with statues of gods, emperors, animals, and heroes, including a 4th-century BC Heracles by Lysippos, a group of Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf, and the 5th-century BC Serpent Column. The starting gates were topped with four gilded copper horses, now called the Horses of Saint Mark, whose exact origin is unknown. These were looted during the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and placed on St Mark’s Basilica in Venice. The track was lined with other bronze statues of horses and chariot drivers, none of which survive. Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus described purple hangings and rare tapestries used as decoration for visits by Saracen or Arab guests. According to Hesychius of Miletus, a statue of Hecate once stood there.
Throughout the Byzantine period, the Hippodrome was the centre of city social life. Huge sums were bet on chariot races. Initially, four teams—the Blues, Greens, Reds, and Whites—competed, each sponsored by a political party in the Byzantine Senate. The Reds and Whites eventually weakened and were absorbed by the Blues and Greens. Up to eight chariots (two per team), each pulled by four horses, raced on the track. These events were not just sports; they were rare occasions when the emperor and common citizens gathered in one place. Political discussions often took place there, and the emperor could access the Kathisma directly from the Great Palace. Rivalry between the Blues and Greens sometimes mixed with political or religious conflicts, leading to riots and civil wars. The worst was the Nika riots of 532, in which about 30,000 people died and many buildings were destroyed, including the nearby second Hagia Sophia. The current (third) Hagia Sophia was built by Justinian I after those riots. The Hippodrome still hosted entertainment in the 10th and 11th centuries, with the last recorded chariot race in 1200.
Constantinople never fully recovered from its sack during the Fourth Crusade. Although the Byzantine Empire lasted until 1453, the Hippodrome had fallen into ruin by then, pillaged by Venetians who likely took the four horses now in San Marco. The Ottomans, under Sultan Mehmed II, captured the city in 1453 and made it their capital. They had no interest in chariot racing, and the Hippodrome was gradually forgotten, though the site was never built over. It was used as a source of building stone.
- location
- Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey)
- primary use
- Chariot racing and social gatherings
- notable monuments
- Serpent Column, Obelisk of Thutmose III, Walled Obelisk
Quick Facts
- Other Name
- Sultanahmet Square (tr · Sultanahmet Meydanı)
- Location
- Istanbul, Turkey
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a U-shaped circus, approximately 450 meters long and 130 meters wide, serving as the sporting and social heart of the Eastern Roman capital. Its defining feature was the *spina*, a central barrier adorned with monuments such as a monolithic obelisk, whose base depicts its erection. The *carceres* (starting gates) stood at the northern end, while the curved *sphendone* formed the southern tribune, part of which still survives. The stands could accommodate around 100,000 spectators. The emperor’s lodge, the Kathisma, was located at the eastern end of the track and connected directly to the Great Palace via a private passage. The Hippodrome predated Constantinople, originally built when the city was Byzantium, and was renovated and enlarged by Constantine the Great after AD 324. It was filled with statues of gods, emperors, animals, and heroes, including a 4th-century BC Heracles by Lysippos, a she-wolf with Romulus and Remus, and the 5th-century BC Serpent Column. Four gilded copper horses, later known as the Horses of Saint Mark, topped the *carceres* but were looted during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Chariot races involved up to eight four-horse chariots, with the last recorded race in 1200. The Hippodrome also hosted political discussions and occasional riots, most notably the Nika riots of 532. After the Ottoman conquest in 1453, the site fell into ruin and was used as a stone quarry, but was never built over, becoming the modern Sultanahmet Square.
Reader's Guide
The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a U-shaped circus that served as the sporting and social heart of the Eastern Roman capital. Its construction predated the city’s imperial era, with the first hippodrome built when the settlement was still the provincial town of Byzantium. Emperor Septimius Severus rebuilt the city in AD 203, endowing it with this arena for chariot racing and other entertainment. When Constantine the Great refounded the city as Nova Roma after his victory at Chrysopolis, he greatly enlarged the hippodrome. Its starting gates stood at the northern end, while the curved southern tribune, the sphendone, still partially survives. The central barrier, or spina, was adorned with monuments such as a monolithic obelisk. The stands could hold around 100,000 spectators. The emperor’s lodge, the Kathisma, was located at the eastern end and connected directly to the Great Palace via a passage reserved for the imperial family. The hippodrome was filled with statues of gods, emperors, animals, and heroes, including a Heracles by Lysippos, a she-wolf with Romulus and Remus, and the Serpent Column. Four gilded copper horses, later known as the Horses of Saint Mark, topped the starting gates; they were looted during the Fourth Crusade and taken to Venice. Throughout the Byzantine period, the hippodrome was the centre of social life. Huge sums were wagered on chariot races, which initially involved four teams—the Blues, Greens, Reds, and Whites—each backed by a political party in the Senate. The Reds and Whites eventually faded, absorbed by the Blues and Greens. Up to eight four-horse chariots competed, and these events provided rare occasions for the emperor and common citizens to gather. Political discussions often occurred here, and the rivalry between the Blues and Greens sometimes sparked riots, most catastrophically the Nika riots of 532, which destroyed many buildings including the nearby Hagia Sophia. The last recorded chariot race took place in 1200. After the Fourth Crusade, the hippodrome fell into ruin; the Ottomans, who captured the city in 1453, had no interest in chariot racing, and the site was used as a source of building stone. Today, the surviving monuments sit in a landscaped garden in Sultanahmet Square, with the old racetrack’s course indicated by paving.
Did You Know?
- The word 'hippodrome' comes from Greek hippos (horse) and dromos (path).
- The Hippodrome's carceres (starting gates) were topped with four gilded copper horses, later looted during the Fourth Crusade and installed on St Mark's Basilica in Venice.
- The Serpent Column was originally a sacrificial tripod from Delphi, celebrating the Greek victory over the Persians in the 5th century BC.
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