Entertainments of the Hippodrome: A Window of the Great Palace on the Exterior World

My purpose in this paper is to give a new insight into the entertainments of the Hippodrome in Constantinople by focusing on the participation of the emperor and court officials. My approach will involve the comparison of visual material, objects, archaeological evidence and written sources.



Through a spiral staircase the kathisma, or imperial box, was directly linked to the imperial palace and served as a window of imperial power and magnificence onto the exterior world. I will attempt to draw a parallel between the setting of the entertainments in the Hippodrome and the receptions that took place behind the close doors of the Great Palace. The organs of the factions and the hanging textiles used in the decoration of the kathisma are among the reflections in the Hippodrome of the court ceremonial in the Great Palace. On some occasions, as for the visits of foreign embassies, spectacles were organized in the Hippodrome to complement the ceremonial in the Palace. The emperor watched the games surrounded by court dignitaries and state officials who, according to the established hierarchy, occupied the loges flanking the imperial box or special seats in the cavea. Ladies of the court had the privilege of watching from behind window grills in the rooms above the box, attendance in the ordinary seats being considered inappropriate for women.



Besides chariot-races, the Hippodrome was the setting for various other entertainments including animal fights and parades, acrobatic performers, dancers and musicians. In the second part of my paper, I will focus on these entertainments as reflections of favorite pastimes and taste at the Byzantine court and will consider their impact on artistic production in the Middle-Byzantine period.

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