Quote:
Originally Posted by Backstop
Blues vs Greens Chariots in ancient Constantinople - The blue team vs green team rivalry (based on chariot driver uniform colour) in Byzantine era chariot racing was pure carnage. It affected politics, resulted in countless murders and deaths, almost overthrew an emperor and culminated in an insurrection in 532 AD that resulted in the slaughter of thousands of Greens.
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Thanked particularly for this.
I am, for various weird reasons, a bit of a Byzantine history buff. This was unquestionably the most heated sporting rivalry of all time. The Blues and Greens each had what we would now call farm teams throughout the empire, and in every major city, I have read, people cheered for one team or the other to express their political or religious affiliations. It wasn't just Constantinople; the whole Byzantine Empire could have gone up like tinder if that insurrection had spread.
Plus, chariot racing was one of the most badass sports of all time. It was kind of like chuckwagon racing, but without the outriders, and with NASCAR-style crashes and occasional weapons. Dirty drivers used to whip the opposing team's horses just before a turn, making them panic and stampede right into the outside wall. This got you disqualified if you were caught, but it also put your opponent in hospital, so charioteers were often tempted by the tradeoff.