A day in the life
Chariot racers dreamed of glory and success in the hippodrome Byzantine empire, 500-42
Have you got what it takes to be a chariot racer?
Chariot racing was the most popular spectator sport in the Byzantine Empire. Races took place in Constantinople’s Hippodrome circus, which could seat up to 100,000 people at once. Spectators from all classes, including the emperor, enjoyed the games as a distraction from their daily life while the racers themselves were normally slaves. The racers were divided into four team, which inspired the same fierce loyalty as modern football teams. In fact, fans of rival teams often brawled in the aisles. The races were also a prime opportunity for the emperor to present himself to the public, something that otherwise rarely occurred.
pre-game show
As the racers arrived to prepare for a day of competing, a wide array of entertainments were put on for the spectators to enjoy like wrestling, dancing, juggling, tightrope walks and wild beast fights. The emperor and his consort would be seated in their booth, called a Kathisma, which was directly linked to the Great Palace.
represent the team
There were four factions that raced in the Hippodrome — Blue, Green, Red and White. Racers would wear tunics that sported the colour of their team so that the crowd could easily identify them. Out of the four, it was the Blue and Green teams that were the most prominent, with the Red and White teams seen as the secondary factions.
Better safe than sorry
Chariot races were extremely dangerous and racers needed to wear protective gear. Leather pads for the thighs and chest were common along with leather helmets. A sharp knife was also a must in case the chariot’s reigns became entangled and the racer needed to cut himself free.
play fair
Lots were drawn to determine which of the 12 starting gates, known as carceres, the racers would go from.
The gates were mechanised to ensure that they would all open at the same time. The four horse chariots were readied and brought to the gates and each team usually had two chariots participating in every race.
ready, set, go
A wealthy sponsor for the chariots, such as a senator or even the emperor, would drop a white cloth to signal the beginning of the race. The charioteers would have to ride to the end of the U-shaped track, wheel around the spina in the centre and back again to win. Each race required seven laps and lasted around 15 minutes.
lunchtime
There was a break midway through the day for food and drink, with more entertainment brought out for the spectators in the meantime. It was also an opportunity for the racers to recuperate and ready themselves for the afternoon. This was not just about victory — success in the Hippodrome could propel racers to stardom.
in it to win it
After lunch, the races would continue with up to 24 performed each day. A moveable scoreboard, which had seven dolphin- or egg-shaped lap counters, kept track of the score. Racers would team up to get rid of the first-place racer, usually by knocking into their carriage — an extremely dangerous and deadly move.
want a rematch?
Unique to Byzantine chariot racing was the honour of the ‘diversium’, which allowed the winner to challenge the loser to a rematch with swapped chariots and horses. It was an opportunity for the victor to prove to the crowd that they had won the races based on skill, rather than luck.
Collect the prize
The winning chariot racer received their prize from the emperor, which consisted of a gold seal, a tunic, a helmet and a silk belt. The racer’s victory was ultimately the emperor’s and during the prize ceremony the crowd would shout their allegiance to him. For the racer, winning gave him the chance to switch teams and increase his income.
time to party
After the day’s events, the factions celebrated or commiserated. There was frequent conflict among the different teams and supporters since chariot racing promoted a mob-like mentality, not too dissimilar to football hooliganism seen today.
For this reason the scholar Procopius declared the racing factions “a sickness of the soul.”