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The Circus Maximus & Chariot Racing (Charioteers (Teams represented…
The Circus Maximus & Chariot Racing
The stucture
Chariots started race in one of 12 gates (
carceres
) staggered at more open end of track
Raced around an oval circuit, divided by long central barrier (
spina
)
Entry was free, but wealthy could pay for shaded seats with better view
Emperor had own box (
pulvinar
) which was connected directly to Imperial Palace
Track covered in sand to soak up any blood
Turning posts (
metae
) made of gilded bronze at each end of barrier
Seating plan of Circus Maximus was far less structured than Colosseum
People were free to sit where they chose - men, women & children could sit together
Chariot racing stadium of 8,000 spectators discovered in Colchester (first in UK)
Charioteers
Teams represented different rich individuals/groups & competed to hire skilled racers
Had fans, who sometimes fought with fans of other teams
On race track, teams could have up to 3 chariots in race
Could co-operate to try to cause opponents to crash or take poorer route around track
Later on, Emperor took over teams & appointed officials to stop teams being linked to groups of politicians
Charioteers (
aurigae
) were usually slaves
Races were so dangerous that charioteers received a certain amount of fame just for surviving
Winner received money as a prize
They could buy their freedom if they won enough races
One celebrity charioteer was Scorpus who won 200 races before dying on race track
Horses could also become celebrities & people kept stats about them
Charioteers wore leather helmets, kneepads & shin pads
Carried a curved knife (
falx
) to cut the reins tied around their waist if chariot crashed
Clothing was coloured to indicate their team
Emperor Domitian also created purple & gold teams that raced while he was alive
4 teams - Reds, Whites, Blues & Greens
Each team had its own stables & trainers
Supporters wore colours of their team & bet heavily on results of races
Emperor Caligula liked one horse in Green team so much that he gave it a marble stall, purple blankets & jewels - he even claimed he wanted to make it consul
Another charioteer was Diocles, originally a slave from Spain, who raced for 24 years & earned so much money that he became Roman equivalent of a multi-millionaire
However, could die very young
Could become very popular
Races
Host of race (typically the Emperor in Rome) dropped white cloth (
mappa
) to signal start of race
Then gates opened so no competitor could get unfair start
Charioteers often tried to push each other into
spina
& most crashes happened around
metae
Cheating/deliberate fouling was common - no rules
Each race lasted 7 laps (later reduced to 5) in anti-clockwise direction
Laps counted by taking down large wooden eggs or model dolphins on
spina
Most important races used 4 horses for each chariot (
quadrigae
), although 2-horse chariots (
bigae
) were also common
Skilled racers sometimes tried to control up to 10 horses pulling a carriage
Circus games paid for by emperor or magistrate hoping to gain popularity with the people (as in amphitheatre)
Day's events began with starting procession
Trumpeters & flute-players played while chariots drove around arena
Behind them, soldiers marched carrying images of the gods - in particular Neptune, patron god of horses
To prepare for first race, each chariot took its place in one of 12 starting cages
Races lasted around 15 mins & there could be 24 races in a day
At the end of a day's racing, there was a prize-giving ceremony
Each winning charioteer awarded a victory palm, a crown & a golden neck chain
If a chariot crashed, a man might be caught up in reins & dragged to death or run over by following chariots - very dangerous
Background
Chariot racing was on of the sports in the Ancient Olympic Games
According to legend, it was used by Romulus just after he founded Rome in 753 BCE as a distraction
Romans are likely to have picked it up from the Etruscans & the Greeks
Races were linked to religion & often held in honour of Jupiter, although Neptune was also included in processions that took place as he was god of horses
Chariot racing was the most popular sport in Rome, rather than gladiatorial shows
Romans were able to support their team, bet on results (this was actually illegal but no-one took notice), have a day off work & meet up with friends
Ovid also writes of another reason for its popularity as an opportunity for men & women to meet
Circus Maximus
Main centre of chariot racing in Rome
Rebuilt by Julius Caesar in 50 BCE
Length of 650m & width of 125m
Seated over 250,000 (roughly 5x that of Colosseum)
