The Byzantines were particularly fond of entertainment and spectacles, whether performed in theatres and hippodromes or in city streets and squares on the occasion of fairs.

The main sources of attraction and entertainment were jesters, jugglers, tightrope walkers, acrobats and animals, such as dogs and monkeys trained to do various tricks in the streets and taverns. People of the time also seem to have taken a keen interest in tamed bears and wild animals put on show at the hippodrome. They were likewise extremely impressed by physically unusual individuals, like giants, dwarfs and conjoined twins, who would be led around the streets and markets if they had not already been cast out of cities as bad omens.
 
Constantinople had at least four theatres in the 5^th century, the most important of which was the Grand Theatre (theatrum maius) close to the palace, founded by Septimius Sevirus and occasionally used for classical repertory performances. The main form of entertainment was mime theatre, on themes deriving from mythology, everyday life and even Christian mysteries.

Mime troupes consisted of both men and women. Their primary medium of expression was the face, and especially the eyes, hence mimes in Byzantium did not wear masks, but had special hairstyles. Though some of them lived in luxury and were invited to weddings, banquets and formal imperial dinners, most were considered disreputable and deemed equivalent to prostitutes and pimps. The majority came from the lower classes and were held to be of questionable morals. Work for mimes seems to have gradually declined after the 7th century.

Although the question as to whether the theatre existed in middle and late Byzantium remains unresolved, it would seem that a kind of folk theatre did appear occasionally at festivals and fairs, where semi-professional actors or mimes performed. Another kind of learned theatre also seems to have existed as part of religious education. Surviving texts are religious dramas written entirely in the form of dialogue. Rather than original works, these were a potpourri of elements from ancient tragedies and sacred texts, the main aim being to raise religious awareness among the audience. Works for religious theatre also included sketches by anonymous writers. These were incorporated into orthodox liturgy as stage representations of sacred events, such as the Washing of the Feet on Holy Thursday.