Stasiôtai into stratiôtai: the Nika Riot revisited

In this paper, a reassessment of the events during the famous Nika riot in Constantinople in 532 CE is attempted by focusing on three hitherto neglected aspects; firstly, the efforts of the demes to ‘militarise’ their behaviour in actively seeking to source heavy arms and to engage with the military and their infrastructure; secondly, the strong likelihood that Justinian withdrew from the palace when the demes acclaimed Hypatius as new emperor; and finally the obvious incompatibility of Procopius’ version of the events with the Malalas tradition. It will be argued that the imperial authorities were somehow disconcerted by the aggressiveness of the demes, and rather reluctant in striking back; that Justinian at one point did indeed leave the palace, and that the initial attack on the crowd gathered in the Hippodrome was carried out by the military he had entrusted with securing the palace. The infamous slaughter at the Hippodrome, which posterity primarily connects with the events, appears to have been an ad hoc action to prevent the imminent storming of the deserted palace rather than a carefully planned and concerted counter-strike.