The Hippodrome of Constantinople and the Revolts of the Factions (De-mos) in the Late Roman Period (4th and 6th Centuries)

Abstract

Hippodromes, one of the most important public spaces of Roman cities, were places where various shows and ceremonies such as chariot races, gladiator and wild animal fights, panto-mimes and dances were organised. The Hippodrome of Constantinople, which was built in an important location at the eastern end of the historical peninsula known today as Sultanahmet in the capital of Eastern Rome, is one of the most important among these structures. Assumed to have been built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Severus Septimius (193-211 BC) and expanded and completed during the reign of Constantine I (307-337 BC), the Hippodrome of Constantinople was used to organise horse races with an uncertain date of origin. The two-wheeled chariot teams drawn by four horses called quadriga are known as the Greens, Blues, Reds and Whites, names given by Emperor Romulus. Horse-drawn chariot races, which have been in existence since the foundation of the Byzantine Empire, have influenced politics and society from different angles over the centuries. In this study, the formation of the Hippodrome of Constantinople, the horse races organised here and the important rebellions of demos or facti-ons that challenged the political power in the Byzantine Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries will be discussed.

Keywords

• Rome
• Byzantium
• Constantinople Hippodrome
• Horse races

Konstantinopolis Hipodromu ve Geç Roma Döneminde Hiziplerin (De-mosların) İsyanları (4. ve 6. Yüzyıllar)

Öz

Roma kentlerinin en önemli kamusal mekânlarından biri olan hipodromlar, araba yarışla-rı, gladyatör, vahşi hayvan dövüşleri, pandomimler, danslar gibi çeşitli gösteri ve törenlerin düzenlendiği yerlerdi. Doğu Roma’nın başkentinde, bugün Sultanahmet olarak bilinen tarihi yarımadanın doğu ucunda önemli bir konumda inşa edilmiş olan Konstantinopolis Hipodrom’u da bu yapılar arasında en önemlilerinden biridir. Roma İmparator’u Severus Septimius (M.Ö. 193–211) döneminde inşa edildiği varsayılan ve I. Konstantinus (M.Ö. 307–337) döneminde genişletilerek tamamlanan Konstantinopolis Hipodromu’nda, ortaya çıkış tarihi belli olmayan atlı yarışlar düzenlenirdi. Quadriga denilen dört atın çektiği iki tekerlekli araba takımları, İmpa-rator Romulus’un verdiği isimler olan Yeşiller, Maviler, Kırmızılar ve Beyazlar olarak bilinir. Bizans İmparatorluğu’nun kuruluşundan itibaren varlığını sürdüren atlı araba yarışları yüzyıl-lar içerisinde siyaseti ve toplumu farklı açılardan etkilemişlerdir. Çalışmada Konstantinopolis Hipodrom’un oluşumu, burada düzenlenen atlı yarışlar ve demos ya da hiziplerin Bizans İmpa-ratorluğu’nda 5. ve 6. yüzyıllarda Siyasî İktidarı Zorlayan önemli isyanlarına değinilecektir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Roma
• Bizans
• Konstantinopolis Hipodromu
• Atlı yarışlar

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