Great Circus was the largest stadium in ancient Rome and could accommodate about 250 thousand people. This constituted almost a quarter of the capital's population in those ancient times.
Chariot races were one of the most popular forms of entertainment among Roman citizens. It is said that even Romulus, the first of the seven kings of Rome, participated in these competitions. The Great Circus has rich history, which began in the 6th century BC. e., when the fifth king of Rome, Tarquinius Priscus, created this arena between the Palatine and Aventine hills.
Fire of 31 BC e. was the first of three that destroyed the stadium's wooden structure. The Circus Maximus was reconstructed by Emperor Augustus, who added an imperial box. It was decorated with an obelisk brought from Heliopolis. Today this obelisk is located in Piazza del Popolo. Another obelisk was added to the structure as early as the 4th century.
The second fire occurred in the 1st century, during the time of Emperor Nero. It was a truly destructive fire, which at that time destroyed most of the capital, many of the sights of Rome were damaged www.earth-tour.ru/rim, although later most of them were restored.
The Circus Maximus itself was restored in 103, during the time of Trajan. The Roman Empire was then at the peak of its power and this huge structure reflected this status. Now it was a stone structure 3 floors high. The first floor and stands were built of marble.
The Great Circus has become a complex arena, 600 meters long and 150 meters wide, where competitions take on a completely new dimension and grandeur, causing enthusiastic emotions among the public.
The Circus Maximus was sometimes used for other events, such as religious processions or gladiator fights, but it was mainly used for chariot racing. They were extremely popular among the Romans and attracted huge numbers of people who supported their favorites. Participants were divided into 4 groups: red, white, green and blue. These groups represented 4 seasons, respectively, summer, winter, spring and autumn.
The last chariot competition at the Circus Maximus took place in 549 AD, almost one millennium after the first. Unfortunately, today we can only discern the place where one of the greatest buildings once stood. ancient world. Most parts of this arena were used as building material for many medieval Renaissance buildings.
is the largest racecourse in ancient city. You can find it between the Aventine and Palatine hills in Rome, which, in turn, are located on the left bank. In other words, the Circus Maximus in Rome is located almost in the center of the modern city.
Name
The Greater Circus in Rome, or Circo Massimo, began to be called so from the Latin name, which sounds like Circus Maximus. The word Circus in one of its meanings is translated as a lists, that is, a place for holding equestrian competitions. Previously, horse racing was held in the valley located between the hills. According to historians, this event could represent a seasonal celebration organized in honor of Neptune the Horse.
The holding of the first such competitions dates back to 500 AD. e., during the reign of King Tarquinius Priscus in Rome. In this action, the chariots were harnessed by quadrigas, that is, by four horses, and they raced in a straight line from the start. Then, having reached the edge of the valley, they made a U-turn, after which they raced at full speed in the opposite direction, trying to be the first to reach the finish line.
Gradually, in the 2nd century. BC, the rules were subject to change, which was due to the construction of a water pipeline in Rome, which began approximately in 146 BC. It was laid along the bottom of the valley with the preliminary excavation of a tunnel that reached a height of 4.5 meters and a width of 2.5 meters. A hill stretched across the entire lists. They didn’t level it, so the horses were run in a circle in the competition. Because of this, the second meaning of the Latin word Circus was fully justified - it is a circle. Later the word circus became a derivative from it. And indeed, the circus turned out to be “massimo”, because it was large, stretching across the entire valley. If we talk about numbers, its width was 150 m, while its length was over 600.
If we consider historical descriptions Circus Maximus in Rome different periods time, you can see that they are different. At first, spectators who wanted to watch the equestrian competitions found a place directly on the hill. Later, the first buildings were organized on it. These were benches installed for the rich and respected citizens of Rome. A wooden starting point and stalls for horses were also installed.
The heyday of the Circus Maximus occurred during the reign of the first emperors of Rome. At that time, the Circus Maximus in Rome was one of the most impressive buildings in the city. In the 1st century BC Caesar made certain changes to its features. So, under his decree, perestroika was carried out. Under her, the arena located at the Circus Maximus in Rome was expanded and lengthened. A canal was dug around it. From that time on, the new dimensions of the Circus Maximus made it possible to accommodate 12 quadrigas at once. The arena was 118 m wide, while its length was 621 m.
A fence was erected around the stadium, and wooden stands intended for patricians were erected, as well as tiers aimed at the “simpler” public. In total, there were 150,000 seats in the Circus Maximus, and over the next few centuries their number was doubled. In addition, almost the same number of spectators watched the outcome of the competition in the arena of the Great Circus while standing.
Three towers were built at one end of the Circus Maximus arena. Of these, the central one was equipped with a gate allowing entry inside. The remaining two towers were equipped with punishment cells for horses, that is, special stalls. Passing through the gate erected on the opposite side, the Circus Maximus in Rome left the winners of the competition.
Remaining echoes of the past
A narrow platform ran along the center of the Circus Maximus arena; it was decorated with ancient Egyptian obelisks. Both obelisks with such decoration have survived to this day. You can see them today on Narodnaya, or on Piazza del Popolo, as well as on the square of Rome, located opposite the Lateran Palace, this is Palazzo del Laterano.
The platform on both sides ended with metas, which were curves equipped with pillars and arranged in the shape of cones. One of the metas served as a place for the chariot race to begin; the race ended at the opposite end of the Circus Maximus arena, after completing seven laps. The circles had to be counted, for which a pair of special stands installed on the platform were used, each of them was designed for 7 balls. After some time, compact fountains shaped like dolphins were installed near them. They had their own meaning, because dolphins served sea horses for Neptune - the patron of the lists.
The Circus Maximus attracted the people of Rome for the next 500 years after Caesar's reign. It seemed that the decline of his fame would not touch him for a long time. Hopes for the best were reinforced by the fact that the ruling emperors often made certain changes, thereby decorating the Circus Maximus in Rome.
In 31 BC. there was a fire, after which the ruling emperor of Rome, Augustus, contributed to the restoration of the Circus Maximus, giving it the form in which it is known now. Stone stands served as the basis for it; these are steps designed for privileged spectators. They were, for example, horsemen and senators. The upper tiers remained wooden; on the outside there were arcades in which taverns and shops were located. After Augustus, the Circus Maximus in Rome continued to be decorated. Thus, during the reign of Claudius, the punishment cells became marble, and the cells became completely gold. Nero's reign in Rome was marked by the expansion of the arena, in which the canal was buried.
The races were held in last time in Rome in 549. Then Totil was the reigning emperor. The same time became the starting point, which for the Circus Maximus in Rome can be designated as the era of destruction.
The inhabitants of Rome dismantled the stone used in ancient buildings, using it for the further construction of new buildings. The remains of the Circus Maximus gradually began to be covered with soil. During excavations carried out by archaeologists in the 19th century. Before the construction of the gas plant on the site of the Great Circus, the lower rows were found. Their depth “went down” by 6 meters.
Regarding current situation, in which the Circus Maximus ended up in Rome, now where it was previously located there is a large oval clearing. The ruins remaining from the former Circus Maximus in the form of stone stands, marble punishment cells and parts of the tracks do not leave anyone indifferent, shocking with their size.
Nowadays it is also home to a very important recreation area in Rome. It is often used for parades military equipment and for holding concerts and other special events. The Birthday of Rome, by the way, is also traditionally celebrated on the territory of the Circus Maximus. By the way, a concert was held here in 2014 Rolling Stones. Legendary group performed precisely in Rome as in the only place on the territory of Italy. Needless to say, over 65 thousand fans of the group gathered here for this event.
Circus Maximus in Rome: how to get there
The Circus Maximus can be reached in five minutes on foot from the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. The Caca staircase, which runs from the Palatine Hill in Rome, also leads directly to the Circus Maximus. It is believed that it was here at one time that Kak, the three-headed shepherd, the son of Medusa and Hephaestus, also known for spitting fire, hid the best of Geryon’s cows stolen from Hercules. At the time of the theft, Hercules himself was sleeping peacefully on the banks of the Tiber. Here he entered into battle with Kak, subsequently returning what was stolen from him.
So, getting back to modern conditions In deciding how to see the Circus Maximus in Rome, we note that you can use the metro for this. Here you need line B, which will take you to the Circo Massimo station of the same name.
If you want to use other types of public transport in Rome from a certain starting point, then buses 75, 60 81, 175 and 160, as well as tram number 3, will take you to the Circus Maximus without any particular difficulties for you.
To move freely around Rome in any mode public transport, do not forget to purchase a Roma Pass discount card in advance. You can do this online follow the link .
According to historians, events relevant to famous legend about the Sabine women, which have taken root as a favorite story in world culture, took place precisely in Rome, in the valley of the Circus Maximus.
The times of Romulus are characterized by the fact that Rome, in all its then size, was located on the Palatine Hill, but he was so strong that he was able to subjugate everyone around him. Meanwhile, there were no women in the city, and therefore even such a place risked falling into oblivion due to the inability to procreate. The warriors turned to their neighbors for help in this matter, but they were refused. Romulus did not give up, but acted more cunningly. He organized a festival, inviting his neighbors to celebrate at the very foot of the Palatine, in a large valley.
The celebration was the day of Neptune, as we know, in this case we're talking about about the god of horses. Among the other guests who arrived, the Sabines also came to see him, not alone, but with their wives and children. In the midst of the celebration, Roman youths began to kidnap the Sabine women.
Circus. This word, which means fun and colorful spectacles for us, dates back to the times of Ancient Rome. However, neither in the architecture of the buildings, nor even more so in the nature of its spectacles, called public games, was the Roman circus similar to the circus of our days.
What were the circus and public games like among the ancient Romans?
In Rome, largest city antiquity, there were seven circuses. All of them were structured almost identically, but the most extensive and oldest of them was the so-called Great Circus. This circus was located in a valley formed by two hills - the Palatine and the Aventine.
From ancient times until the fall of the empire, most of the games were held annually here in the valley, which consisted of horse-drawn chariot races. According to legend, such races were established by one of the founders of Rome, Romulus, and they were first held once a year - after the grain harvest and fruit gathering. In those days, spectators sat right on the grass that covered the hillsides.
Later, about 600 BC, the first wooden circus was built in this valley. Over the centuries, it expanded more and more, was decorated with marble, bronze, and by the beginning of our era it had become a grandiose hippodrome, designed for 150 thousand spectators.
In its structure, the Great Circus was primarily a rectangular arena - over 500 meters long and 80 meters wide. Along its entire length, on both sides there were raised rows of seats for the public. The nobles sat on the marble seats, and the poor were crowded on the upper wooden benches. By the way, the extreme concentration of people in the “gallery” more than once led to fires and collapses, accompanied by a large number victims (for example, during the twenty-year reign of Emperor Diocletian, about 13 thousand people died because of this).
A curious feature of the circus arena was the back - wide (6 meters) and low (1.5 meters) stone wall, which, like a ridge, divided the arena into two halves. Thus, the back prevented the competing horses from arbitrarily moving from one part of the arena to another. The wall was decorated with monuments - obelisks, statues and small temples of Roman gods. There was also an ingenious device, thanks to which the spectators always knew how many runs the chariots had already made. We need to tell you a little more about this device.
On the surface of the back, near each end, a four-column structure was built. On the flat roof of one of them rested seven metal gilded eggs, and on the other - the same number of gilded dolphins. Each time the front chariot completed another race (and there were usually seven of them), one egg and one dolphin were removed. Such “counting units” were associated, according to the Romans, with the deities who patronized the circus - Neptune and the Dioscuri brothers.
Equestrian competitions in general were dedicated to the first, since it was believed that the formidable god of the seas owned the most the best horses, who quickly carried it across the water surface; In addition, dolphins, who were considered the personification of the deity himself, were directly related to Neptune. As for the Dioscuri, according to legend, both of them were born from a swan’s egg, and one of the brothers, Castor, later became famous as a brave tamer of wild horses, and the other, Pollux, as a brave fist fighter.
The extremities of the back were semicircular turntables. It was here that most of all dexterity and restraint were required from each driver: when approaching the meta, it was necessary to slow down just enough so as not to rush past the pillars, not to get caught on them and not to tip over during a sharp turn, and in case of a fall - not to be trampled by rivals' horses (the latter happened quite often). Of course, for each meta it was possible to describe a large arc, but this safety, booed by the spectators, had to be paid for by the loss of several seconds, taking advantage of which a more courageous and dexterous enemy rushed forward. So that the drivers would already have in mind from afar the dangerous goal to which they were heading, each place was decorated with three tall gilded columns of conical shapes.
Let's try to imagine (at least in the most general outline) one of the competitions in the circus.
Immediately after the pomp (the ceremonial procession through the circus of priests and game organizers), the race manager threw a white scarf onto the sand-strewn arena: thereby giving a sign for the start of the games. To the loud sounds of trumpets and encouraging cries of the public, four light two-wheeled chariots drawn by four horses rushed out of the punishment cells (that was the name of the marble circus stables). One run... Third... Seventh! The winner on lathered horses rushed through the triumphal arch, erected at the end of the arena, and then slowly headed to the box of the organizers of the games, where he received awards. All this time, the spectators were in complete control of their emotions: they frantically clapped their hands, shouted with all their might, threatened, grimaced, and used foul language (especially in those cases when the drivers overturned on turns). And so throughout the whole day of games, from sunrise to sunset, when the number of competitions sometimes reached thirty!
This “care” of the government for its citizens is best explained by the words of Emperor Aurelian: “Indulge in fun, engage in spectacles. Let us be concerned with social needs, let us be interested in entertainment!” Public games and the treats that accompanied them were a kind of entertainment policy, designed to gain popular favor (which was extremely important in conditions of the cruelest exploitation of slaves and frequent civil wars).
The famous satirist of antiquity, Juvenal, aptly called the internal policy of the Roman authorities a policy of “bread and circuses.” The personification of this policy was the circuses, and with them the amphitheaters that arose on the basis of other spectacles and, above all, the Colosseum.
Tourists coming to Rome from different countries, and to this day they admire the ruins of the Colosseum, which was once a huge amphitheater - with a circumference of more than 500 meters and a capacity of about 50 thousand people.
Although the name Colosseum is now generally accepted, it has almost nothing to do with the amphitheater: it comes from the Latin word “colosseum” (colossus), distorted in the Middle Ages, which the ancient Romans called the grandiose statue of Emperor Nero, erected near the amphitheater . The Colosseum itself was called in ancient times the Flavian Amphitheater - after the family name of the emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian, under whom this monumental spectacular structure was created.
In its structure, the Colosseum was to some extent similar to today's circuses. Its huge arena was surrounded by five tiers of spectator seats (moreover, marble seats were intended - as in hippodrome circuses - for the rich, and wooden "gallery" benches - for common people). The Colosseum did not have a roof, but to protect the public from rain and scorching heat, a canvas awning was stretched over the building, fixed on special brackets in the outer wall. The facade of the Colosseum attracted everyone's attention with its extraordinary splendor: in the niches of the second and third floors, which now gape empty, there used to be numerous white marble statues...
It is interesting to note that in the Roman circus, not only the winning drivers, but also the winning horses were awarded awards. People received money and expensive clothes, and both people and horses received palm branches and wreaths (also rewards). The drivers and horses who distinguished themselves many times had statues erected in the city, and after death, magnificent tombstones with praising inscriptions and a detailed listing of victories won.
Of course, circus horses were the most best breeds. Without taking into account any costs, horses were delivered to Rome from Spain and North Africa, and in Sicily almost all fertile grain fields were turned into pastures. A fact that seemed simply incredible was that the favorite horse of Emperor Caligula, Incitatus, ate and drank from gold and silver dishes, and on the eve of the competitions in which he participated, the soldiers made sure that not the slightest noise in the neighborhood disturbed the peace horses!
The conduct of the games was concentrated in the hands of special societies consisting of the Roman rich. Not without benefit for themselves, they supplied the organizers of the games with horses, chariots, and also drivers (since the latter were, as a rule, former slaves and were connected with their former masters by various monetary relations). Competition between these societies turned them into isolated four parties (according to the number of teams simultaneously participating in each competition), which bore the names White, Red, Green and Blue (based on the color of the clothes of each of the four drivers). Since spectators in the circus constantly made gambling bets about the victories of drivers and horses, and the winners themselves were the subject of the most ardent conversations throughout Rome, everyone urban population was divided into four warring camps - adherents of one party or another. This state of affairs led to the fact that circus parties eventually became political parties that actively interfered in government affairs.
Setting up and running games required enormous expenses. Sixty-four days a year were set aside for chariot races, and the huge masses of people who flocked to these races from all over Italy had to be not only freely entertained, but also fed for free. Therefore, in the circus arenas, during breaks between competitions, attendants set hundreds of tables on which were displayed whole roasted bulls, pigs, goats, and various wines alternated with oranges, pomegranates, and ginger. First of all, the nobility ate their fill of all these dishes, and then a sign was given to the “gallery”, which rushed down like an avalanche and, in a crush and fight, grabbed the leftovers...
Photo of circus artist L. Osinsky.
Gladiator fights (and the name of the latter, translated from Latin, roughly means sword-bearers) came out of those commemorations that were organized by the Etruscans, the oldest inhabitants of Italy. The latter forced slaves or prisoners to fight on the graves of their loved ones, whose souls seemed to rejoice at the picture of the battle. Subsequently, from 105 BC. e. and until 404 AD. e. (for 500 years!) Gladiator fights were public spectacles that reached extraordinary proportions under the Roman emperors (for example, Augustus organized gladiator fights eight times, with 10 thousand people participating).
One of the favorite gladiatorial fights among spectators was the so-called fishing match - a fight between a myrmillon and a retiarius. The first of them, armed with a sword and a shield, wore an image of a fish on his helmet (hence the name of the gladiator - myrmillon); the second used a sharpened trident as a weapon and was equipped with a metal net (retiary in Latin means “carrying a net”). The goal of the “game” was that the retiarius had to entangle the enemy with a net, knock him to the ground and, if the spectators wished, finish off the “fish” with a trident; Myrmillon’s task was to escape unharmed from the “fisherman” and at the first convenient moment to hit him with a sword...
The gladiators' armor, beautiful in appearance, left large areas of the body unprotected: the fighters were obliged to entertain the spectators with their wounds, blood, and finally death, which increased the public's interest in the fight. The fight itself had to be carried out competently, boldly and excitingly: this gave the fighters some opportunity to save their lives even in the event of defeat. When a wounded gladiator raised his arm with an outstretched index finger, this meant that he asked the public for mercy. In response, the spectators waved their handkerchiefs or also raised their fingers, thereby “releasing” the brave fighter who had lost the ability to fight; if the spectators put their fingers down, this meant that the loser during the “game” showed an excessive love for life and that the winner was ordered to inflict the last one, death blow. After this, the servants burned the fallen man with a red-hot iron and, thus making sure of his death, dragged him with hooks through the “gate of the dead”...
It goes without saying that gladiators were well trained in the arts of fencing and hand-to-hand combat. They learned this in gladiatorial barracks schools (both private and imperial), where cruel cane discipline reigned - right up to beating to death.
Who were these unfortunate people doomed to such suffering?
First of all, gladiators were prisoners of war (“barbarians,” as the Romans contemptuously called them), who, once captured, became slaves. Not all of them accepted their fate: there were cases when gladiators died in schools by strangling each other with their hands. But there were other cases - people tried to win their freedom in armed uprisings (such as the largest uprising of the famous Spartacus, who was also a gladiator).
They also enrolled in gladiatorial schools. free people- poor people. Here they were provided with shelter and food, and, in addition, there was hope of getting rich, since the winner received a bowl of gold coins from the organizers of the games. However, the position of such “free” gladiators was not much different from the position of slaves: upon entering school, the newcomer swore an oath that he would not spare his life in the arena, that for committed offenses he would allow himself to be flogged, burn with a hot iron and even kill!
The fate of the gladiators was difficult, but it was even worse for the bestiaries (animal fighters) who fought wild animals - boars, bears, panthers, lions. In Rome there was a special school for them, but most often convicts acted as bestiaries. They were released into the arena almost unarmed - with a short sword or a light spear. It happened that the dexterity of a person prevailed over the dexterity of the beast, but more often the mutilated people, as if for mercy, begged for a quick death, and under the howls of a public intoxicated with blood they were finished off...
In addition to such “spectacles,” animal persecution was organized in the Colosseum. With the help of special mechanisms, decorative mountains and forests, along with all kinds of animals, were lifted into the arena from the basements of the amphitheater. By slapping whips and shooting flaming arrows into their faces, the servants infuriated the animals. A rhinoceros was forced to fight with an elephant, a panther with a bull, a bear with a boar. They were often tied in pairs with lassoes, and the spectators went into frantic delight when the animals began to torment each other. During the games alone at the opening of the Colosseum, about 5 thousand animals were hunted in this way!
Where did they get such fabulous numbers of animals?
Each country conquered by the Roman legions sent its rarest animals to Italy. Entire caravans of them in cages followed to Rome along the roads of the empire (moreover, cities and villages
which these caravans passed by were obliged to supply the animals with food). In Rome, animals were placed in a vivarium (menagerie), which was larger in scale than any of the current zoos; under Emperor Gordian III, for example, there were 32 elephants, 60 lions, 30 leopards, 10 tigers, the same number of giraffes, moose and hyenas, hippopotamus and rhinoceros, 40 wild horses and many other various small animals. And all this was intended for destruction!
Fights between gladiators and bestiarii, as well as animal persecution, arose much later than chariot competitions, but received no less recognition. From Rome they spread to almost all major provincial cities (Pompeii, Capua, Verona, Arles, Nîmes), where dilapidated amphitheaters have survived to this day (of course, not as grandiose as the Colosseum ). Such a widespread passion for the spectacle of mass, thoughtful and mocking murders (otherwise it is difficult to name all these “games” in the amphitheater arenas) is explained by the coarsening and depravity of morals, which was caused by numerous wars of conquest Romans
Despite the general admiration for the bloody spectacles, only two public figures Rima expressed their indignation. One of them, the famous orator Cicero, said that there can be no pleasure “when a weak person is torn to pieces by a huge strong beast or when a beautiful animal is pierced by a hunting spear.” Cicero was echoed by the philosopher Seneca, who angrily pointed out that “man is sacred to man, and he is killed for fun and amusement.” But with all this, both of them - Cicero and Seneca - believed that the warlike spirit should be an integral part of the Roman people...
In conclusion, it remains to say a few words about those shows that have not received any significant distribution. So, in the same Colosseum, trained animals were shown: lions caught hares and released them unharmed, elephants danced and, according to Roman custom, sat next to tables with food; In the Bolshoi Circus there were gymnast competitions, running back and forth, fist fights, and discus throwing. These shows did not arouse delight among the expansive Roman public and little by little faded away altogether, as they did not satisfy the principles of the same notorious policy - “bread and circuses”... Such were circuses and circus shows in Ancient Rome. Thus, the art of the circus was born in blood and pain.
Magazine "Soviet Circus" June 1958
If you imagine, you can imagine how, after the reconstruction of Julius Caesar, the Circus Maximus accommodated 250,000 seated and the same number of standing spectators, and 12 chariots competed in the arena at the same time! First explore the ancient hippodrome from the ruins, and then climb the Palatine and admire it from above. Admission is free. You can go down to the arena, where the dividing ridge (back) is still clearly visible.
How the Great Circus was used
The Great Circus (Circo Massimo) is a huge building that served for chariot racing - the first hippodrome and stadium of ancient Rome, which could accommodate up to two hundred thousand spectators. He was a model for all circuses of the Empire. Nowadays, the Circus Massimo has become a tourist attraction demonstrating the former power of Ancient Rome.
Construction and reconstruction of the Circus Maximus
Each Roman ruler made his own changes to the appearance of the Circus Maximus. The first chariot competitions in the valley between and took place under Tarquin the Ancient, however for a long time There were no special buildings in this area. In 329 BC. The stadium's first wooden structures were built, and the surrounding farmland was drained for the first time.
Around 50 BC. Julius Caesar took up the development of the circus. The arena was extended and expanded, drainage channels were made along the perimeter and between the tracks, and gates for riders were built on the short side of the oval fence. Tribunes were built for high-ranking spectators, wooden tiers for townspeople and the plebs. According to Pliny the Elder, at that time the circus could accommodate up to 250 thousand people.
The Great Circus (Circus Maximus or Circo Massimo/Circus Maximus or Circo Massimo) is the largest hippodrome in ancient Rome, located in the center of the historical part of Rome, on the left bank of the Tiber River, in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, within walking distance of such famous attractions as well as the Roman Forum.
The Circus Maximus was the largest first hippodrome and stadium of ancient Rome. Nowadays, it is one of the ten most visited historical sites demonstrating the former power of Ancient Rome.
How the Circus Maximus was previously used in Rome
IN ancient Rome The hippodrome was used for its intended purpose; chariot competitions and other events were held in the arena of the Circus Maximus public events. It was a famous place for equestrian competitions - equestrian competitions (ludi Romani). 12 chariots could simultaneously take part in competitions at the hippodrome. It is believed that chariot competitions were first held here by King Tarquinius Priscus, and this is no less, but in 500 BC.
Along the arena different heights Seating was provided for several thousand spectators, including seats for honored guests. All places for spectators were divided into several ranks, those closer to the arena were intended for the nobility, those further away were for everyone else who wanted to watch the races. There were trading stalls in the outer stands.
The Great Circus at present
Currently, the Circus Maximus in Rome, the description of which could take more than one page, has turned into ruins. This place is used as a park area. Ruins and a walking park are all that remains of the once famous and grandiose structure, the ancient Roman hippodrome.
But even today, these remains are stunning in their grandeur and grandeur. In those distant times, at the dawn of its existence, the Circus Maximus in Rome was an elongated structure, oval in shape, and this can still be seen now. The central and main part of this structure was occupied by the arena, where equestrian competitions took place. On one side of the arena, three towers with gates were installed for the entry of competition participants. Horse stalls were also located here. On the opposite side there was another gate intended for the ceremonial departure of the winners.
Just imagine those ancient times, a grandiose building, a huge stadium, the spectators are packed to capacity, the arena is decorated with painted chariots, and the guests are rejoicing and applauding. But all this remains in the distant past; today we can only see part of the ruins of the structure and a shallow hole in the middle.
Nowadays tourists stroll through the former Roman arena and relax in the shade of the trees. local residents, and young people use the hippodrome for street football competitions. From time to time, concerts and public events are held in the former Circus Maximus arena.
How to get to the Circus Maximus in Rome
The Circus Maximus is located in Rome, in the area of Via del Circo Massimo, 00186 Roma Italy.
The Roman Hippodrome can be reached on foot, just 5 minutes from the Roman Forum (Foro Romano) and (Colosseo).
You can take the metro and get to Circo Massimo station (line B), this will be the most convenient. You can also get there by buses No. 60, 81, 75, 160 and 175 or tram No. 3.
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