Pope doesn't return Christian loot to Constantinople

During the 4th Crusade in 1204 the Christian French and Venetian forces sacked Constantinople and stole the four bronze horses (attributed to Lysippus) from the Hippodrome . Built by Roman Emperor Septimius Severus towards the end of the 2nd century The Hippodrome was extended to an immense size by the Christian Emperor, Constantine the Great , he had installed the horses on his Emperors Box . At the time it was variously claimed that the Hippodrome could accomodate from 30,000to 60,000 spectators.

For the next eight centuries, these magnificent bronzes , (famously misnamed) the Horses of St Mark's which had stood on top of the Emperor's box at the Hippodrome, stood on a platform above the main door of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice as a proud memorial of the sack of Constantinople.

At least for nearly all that time until Napoleon stole them in is turn, but they were returned in 1815. They have been moved in rcent to the Venice Museum to preserve them from pollution (and probably theiving Turks) where this photo was taken.

Apparently thes fine bronzes were not in Pope Benedicts luggage when he jetted off to Constantinople yesterday - it's not unlikely however that someone might ask hin for them back after his recent very public exegesis pf the Byzantine view of the Muslim religion.