The Nika Riots
Learn about the Nika Riots of 532 CE — the massive revolt in Constantinople that nearly toppled Justinian and led to the rebuilding of the Hagia Sophia.
The Nika Riots of January 532 CE were the most destructive urban uprising in the history of Constantinople — and nearly ended the reign of the Byzantine Empire's greatest emperor. What began as chariot-racing faction violence escalated into a full-scale revolt that left half the city in ruins and killed an estimated 30,000 people.
Constantinople's chariot racing factions — the Blues and Greens — were not merely sports clubs. They represented broader social, political, and sometimes religious constituencies. When Justinian arrested members of both factions for murder, the normally rival groups united against the emperor. Crowds in the Hippodrome began chanting "Nika!" ("Win!") and the riot exploded across the city, burning churches, government buildings, and entire neighborhoods. The rioters proclaimed a rival emperor.
Justinian was on the verge of fleeing when his wife, Empress Theodora, reportedly declared she would rather die in imperial purple than flee. Emboldened, Justinian sent his generals Belisarius and Narses to suppress the revolt. They trapped the rioters in the Hippodrome and slaughtered them — estimates range from 30,000 to 50,000 killed. The devastation, paradoxically, gave Justinian a blank canvas. He rebuilt Constantinople on a grander scale, including the Hagia Sophia — which remains one of history's greatest architectural achievements.