A week earlier several members of both teams were hanged for murders that happened from a previous smaller riot, which were not uncommon. However, a Blue and a Green survived and found sanctuary in a church, which was then guarded by the Emperor's men.

On Jan.13 the rancorous populace came to watch chariot races demanding Byzantine Emperor Justinian I to pardon the two team members. He refused and the masses chanted "Nika", conquer.

At the end of the 22nd race, the masses rushed the Imperial Palace and laid siege for five days. During this time they set fire to Praetor's building when he didn't release the prisoners and the fire spread throughout the city.

Justinian considered fleeing the capital but the Empress Theodora said, "May I never be separated from this purple, and may I not live that day on which those who meet me shall not address me as mistress. Purple makes a fine burial shroud."

In response to this, Justinian bribed his favored faction, the Blues, who abandoned the Greens when they were crowning a new Emperor. And he also sent in the Imperial army to slay any who were still rioting.

After the dust settled, 30,000 rioters had died and many buildings were destroyed in fire. Justinian executed Senators who supported the revolt, consolidating his power and rebuilding the city. In all, the Nika Riots were an extreme case of European football hooliganism gone bad.

You can follow @lil_herodotus.

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