- #Where were chariot races held in ancient rome how to#
- #Where were chariot races held in ancient rome drivers#
- #Where were chariot races held in ancient rome driver#
Some of these include gladiatorial fights and animal hunts, (just as those held in the Colosseum), athletics, plays and other theatrical performances, and even public executions.Ĩ. Just as football stadiums today are sometimes used for other events such as concerts or even other sports, the Circus Maximus was used for more than just chariot racing. Circus Maximus area today / Peter Clarke / More interesting facts about the Circus Maximusħ. None of them have been very successful because of less than optimal conditions.Īt the moment, the area the Circus Maximus used to welcome thousands of blood-thirsty Roman hooligans, serves as a public park in the center of Rome. Work being done in the 19th century uncovered the lower part of the seating area. So the crops basically grew around the historical memories of the epic Circus Maximus. One of the most interesting facts about the Circus Maximus is that the area, which used to draw crowds of over 100,000 spectators to watch epic chariot races, was irrigated in the 12th century and used to grow crops.ĭuring that time, most of the structures that weren’t quarried were still standing. What is the current status of the Circus Maximus?īecause the area is prone to flooding, it’s also suited for agriculture. Parts of the original track even lay 6 meters lower than the current surface. Since the area that the Circus Maximus was constructed was prone to flooding from the Tiber River, the lower levels have been covered by mud. Most of the building materials of the Circus Maximus were quarried and used for the construction of other buildings. to be exact).īy the 6th century, the Circus Maximus wasn’t used at all anymore and fell into complete decay. The interest in chariot racing games faded after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, which happened in the 5th century (476 A.D. Sestertius (Roman Coin) celebrating the reopening of the Circus Maximus after Emperor Trajan rebuilt it. during the reign of Roman Emperor Trajan that the Circus Maximus got its final shape, completely made of stone. Still, a lot of the elements of the circus, such as the stalls around it, for example, were made of wood, making it very prone to fires (which did occur rather frequently). It wasn’t until the reign of Julius Caesar himself that the construction of the seats, which started around 50 B.C., extended about the entire length of the circus. It’s believed that the turning points of the circus were the first stone and therefore permanent features of the circus.
It goes back all the way to the early days of ancient Rome when the Etruscan King of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, built a wooden stand next to the circus. The construction of the Circus Maximus was an ongoing thing.
The total amount of people it could accommodate is estimated to be 150,000. It was about 621 meters (2,037 ft) in length and about 118 meters (387 ft) in width.īecause it was such a huge stadium, it would, for example, be in the top 5 of the biggest Nascar stadiums (at spot 5 to be exact). Because it was the first of its kind, it was used as a model for all of the other circuses in the Roman Empire. Similar to how supporters of a football club cheer for their team and its colors today, chariot teams had their own base of loyal supporters as well.
#Where were chariot races held in ancient rome drivers#
It wasn’t a strange occurrence for drivers or horses to suffer serious injuries or sometimes even death.
#Where were chariot races held in ancient rome driver#
These races were very dangerous for both the driver and the horses, and this only added to the excitement for the blood-thirsty Roman crowd. These chariots were two-wheeled vehicles, pulled by two, four, or even six horses. What was Chariot Racing?Ĭhariot racing was an ancient sport in which multiple teams competed against each other in a chariot race. The Circus Maximus was not only the first but also the biggest venue for ancient thrill-seekers. Not just in Rome, but also example Iran, Greece, and the Byzantine Empire. It was built to hold chariot races.Ĭhariot-racing was amongst the most popular forms of entertainment in ancient times. The Circus Maximus was the biggest entertainment venue in ancient Rome. In this post, You’ll learn all the facts about the Circus Maximus, an equally impressive entertainment venue and famous site in Rome.
#Where were chariot races held in ancient rome how to#
And the rulers of ancient Rome knew exactly how to please their citizens.īloody spectacles referred to as “Games” were held in the biggest amphitheater ever built in ancient times, the Colosseum. Romans loved to be entertained, that’s for sure. Ancient Rome was home to some incredible stadiums.