The Hippodrome of Istanbul/Constantinople

About this book

"The Hippodrome in Istanbul is one of the last remaining chariot race venues of the classical world. Though it survives only in fragments, its architecture offers compelling evidence of its days of glory and the splendor of the city that was once the capital of an empire. This book surveys the history of this great edifice, providing a window to the culture of ancient Constantinople. Utilizing the rich scholarship on hippodromes and chariot racing, Langdale reveals the social importance of the competitions to the ancients, examines the fan culture, and tells us about the lives of the charioteers and their horses. The story takes us beyond Constantinople to other hippodromes and to museums that contain mosaics and sculptures that offer tantalizing evidence about chariot racing in the Roman and Byzantine Empires. Langdale's analyses of the Hippodrome monuments, such as the Serpent Column and the Obelisk Base of Theodosius, places the hippodrome in a rich artistic and cultural context. The voices of numerous visitors to the hippodrome throughout history are also heard in this volume"--Back cover.