JUSTINIAN AND THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE 133 Blues by a discreet distribution of cash; and Belisarius and Mundus with barbarian mercenaries slaughtered the throng in the Hippodrome. From the cries of ' ' Beat them ! ' ' which had been raised by the mobs this six-day disturbance is known as the Nika riot. For some years afterwards Jus- itinian discontinued the games of the circus, and instituted la number of new administrative measures intended to make Ithe city more orderly henceforth. But before his long reign ended the Blues and Greens were at it again as lively ias ever. Almost the first act of Justin's reign was a reconciliation with the Papacy, followed by a persecution of the Mono- Iphysites. Justinian felt that the support of the Th p [Pope was necessary in his reconquering of the and West. As soon, however, as his generals had Justinian gained a foothold in Italy and control of the city of Rome, it became evident that Justinian intended to be master even in ecclesiastical matters. In 537, Pope Silverius, in whose election Gothic influence had been felt, was deposed, land Vigilius, the candidate of the Empress Theodora, re- placed him. She also is credited with convincing her hus- band that it would be better policy to lessen his severities toward the Monophysites, who, despite repeated persecu- tions, were displaying increasing strength. Accordingly j[ustinian tried to win them over by an imperial edict anathematizing the writings of certain Nestorians, which aad, however, been approved by the Council of Chalcedon n 451. When Pope Vigilius opposed Justinian's edict, the mperial troops removed him from Rome, where he was not /ery popular anyway, owing to such acts as killing a notary with a blow of his fist and ordering his own nephew flogged to death. The pope was taken first to Sicily, then to Con- stantinople, and was ready by the time he arrived there to
- ive in to Justinian. But he soon repented of this decision,
ind the remaining seven years of his pontificate were spent b a vain effort to squirm out of the position to which he had
- ommitted himself by solemn vows and written statements.
He was kept a virtual prisoner at Constantinople much of
