The Hippodrome of Constantinople (today Sultanahmet Square) was the center of social life in the Byzantine Empire for centuries. The Hippodrome, where relentless chariot races were held, was also the scene of many rebellions and massacres.The hippodrome was filled with statues of gods, emperors, animals, and heroes, among them some famous works, such as a 4th-century BC Heracles by Lysippos, Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf Lupa, and the 5th-century BC Serpent Column.