The Circus Maximus
Informational Webpage by Calla Martin; Latin 1 Final Project
The Circus Maximus
The grand arena of the Romans was known as the Circus Maximus. Famously known for its chariot races, the Circus Maximus also hosted other public events, such as Gladiator Fights, the Roman Games, wild animal hunts, and public executions. Many circuses were located within the Roman Empire, but the Circus Maximus was the main attraction of them, and the chariot races there were the big ones and were of high importance when it came to reputation.
The Circus Maximus was originally constructed in the 6th Century BCE, and was built of wood. Situated between the Palatine and Aventin hills, the origins of the Circus Maximus, like many other things within the Roman timeline, is a tad on the fuzzy side. The original laying of plans for the Circus Maximus is attributed to the time of the Roman kings, but is said to have taken its first distintive shape under the rule-era of Julius Caesar.
The Circus Maximus was built in part to help deter young Roman boys from holding chariot races on the streets, which could be dangerous for them and for any passerby who didn't suspect the racers coming along.
The Circus Maximus suffered from several fires throughout its earliest years as a wooden structure - suffering through three fires in total, the structure being rebuilt after each fire. The first fire occured in 31 BCE. The second fire would occur during the reign of Emperor Nero, in 64 CE. This fire began in the wood shops that surrounded the bottom of the track.
After the fire of 64 CE, the Circus Maximus would be at the largest it would ever be after its rebuild. At this time, the Circus would be able to hold 250,000 spectators at one time.
The track of the Circus Maximus was originally covered in sand. It contained twelve starting gates for the chariots. Each chariot could be pulled by teams of four, six, eight, or even twelve horses. The chariot race scene from the 1959 movie Ben Hur depicts chariot teams of four horses, as shown in the image below. Four horse teams were also the most common layout for teams in races.
The racing scene from Ben Hur also depicts bronze fish in the center of the track - upon the structure that creates the circuit known as the Spina. In the actual Circus Maximus, these fish were originally woden eggs that were later replaced with bronze dolphins. These little figures were a way of counting the laps of the race. There were seven lap markers total; therefore, seven laps to a chariot race.
The chariots of a chariot race were color-coded for different factions. Red represented Summer. White represented Winter. Green represented Spring. Finally, Blue represented Autumn. Betting on the races typically worked by betting on a certain faction. Clashing among the supporters of different factions occasionally led to some deaths among the spectators of the races.
The Roman Games
While typical days at the Circus Maximus were races between drivers running a team of four horses, many of the large Roman games included at least one day of racing at the Circus Maximus. The largest of the games of Rome was the Roman Games, or the Ludi Romani. These games were hosted in the month of September. These games honored the the God Jupiter, and consisted of fifteen days at the Circus Maximus. These fifteen days would be spent on chariot races and military processions.
The Modern Circus Maximus
What remains of the Circus Maximus today is the ruins of the structure. Today, it is still one of Rome's stand-out points, and is even in current use. Excavations have occured, which have led to the finding of the Spina and of the starting gates and some original seats. The site of the Circus Maximus was subjected to use for industry before it was converted into a park that was meant to resemble the original form of the Circus Maximus.
The modern Circus Maximus is now used to host public venues such as music concerts and rallies.