Circus Maximus — Attraction in Rome

The Circus Maximus in Rome is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by history enthusiasts and casual walkers alike. Despite its unassuming appearance as an open, empty park, it holds within its bounds a wealth of historical significance and the echoes of ancient events.

As you stroll through the expansive grounds of the Circus Maximus, it's impossible not to be swept away by the grandeur of its past. This vast arena, once the largest chariot racing stadium in ancient Rome, played host to exhilarating spectacles that captivated the masses for centuries.

Originally constructed in the 6th century BCE, the Circus Maximus underwent numerous renovations and expansions over the years, reaching its peak size during the reign of Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century CE. It could accommodate up to 150,000 spectators, making it a central hub of entertainment and communal gatherings in the ancient world.

The main events held within the Circus Maximus were chariot races, a beloved pastime of the Roman populace. These races were not merely sporting events but grand extravaganzas filled with suspense, excitement, and even political undertones. The rivalries between charioteers and the factions they represented, such as the Blues, Greens, Reds, and Whites, often sparked intense emotions among spectators, akin to modern-day sports rivalries.

Beyond chariot races, the Circus Maximus was also utilized for various other events and celebrations, including religious festivals, triumphal processions, and public executions. Its significance extended beyond mere entertainment, serving as a reflection of Roman culture, politics, and society.

Today, the Circus Maximus may appear as a tranquil park, but its storied past lives on in the imagination of those who wander its grounds. It's a space where visitors can connect with history on a personal level, envisioning the vibrant scenes of ancient Rome that once unfolded in this very place. As you explore its pathways and open spaces, you can't help but marvel at the enduring legacy of the Circus Maximus and its place in the annals of...

The most popular seats were at the curved end of the bullet shape of the arena, since that is where most of the crashes took place.

Betting was widespread, and one of the chief advantages and pleasures of going to the races would have been to bet on teams or on individual drivers.

Ovid, the Latin poet of the Roman Empire, was banished in 8 AD from Rome to Tomis (now Constanţa, Romania) by decree of the emperor Augustus. His book caused a lot of consternation to the puritanical emperor, on the art of love and seduction.

The narrator indicates that the likeliest places to meet potential lovers are the chariot races. "It is good the rows force you close, even if you don't like it.They come to see, they come to be seen as well."

Ovid would have been a rock star in his day.

Ovid offers us our most substantial clue, admitting that “It was two offences undid me, a poem and an error” . Scholars have been trying to pin down the nature of this error for thousands of years, with little success, but the poem in question is elsewhere in Ovid’s poetry explicitly identified as the Art of Love.Considering what we know about the reign of Augustus, with his conservative stance on marriage, childbearing, and adultery, Rome’s first emperor likely would not have looked favorably on a guidebook about casual sex in his capital, or the rockstar poet who wrote this guidebook.

People usually get the leader they want and they go to extremes. After the puritanical Augustus, they got the infamous debauched Caligula.

This happens throughout history. The equavilent of Augustus for England was the puritanical Oliver Cromwell, who opposed the demon-drink, banned sports, singing, gambling, entertainment and supported and abolished Christmas Day as a feast day and holiday. You get the picture. They got rid of him and overturned the...

a Must to visit: Circus Maximus is an ancient Roman circus, dedicated to horse racing, located in the valley between the Palatine and the Aventine hills. In the valley there would have been the mythical episode of the rape of the Sabine women, on the occasion of the games called by Romulus. The large flat space due to its proximity to the Tiber was elected since the foundation of the city as a space in which to conduct market activities, exchanges with other populations and socialization such as games and competitions. The first wooden installations date back to the time of Tarquinio Prisco, in the first half of the 6th century BC. The construction of the first stable dates back to approx. 330 BC, when the first carceres (departure structures, from which the carts were used for racing in the circus) were built. The first brick and stone structures probably came only in the 2nd century BC, it was Gaius Julius Caesar who built the first first brick and stone seats and gave the final shape to the building, starting from 46 BC. The monument was restored after a fire and probably completed by Augustus, who added an obelisk from the time of Ramses II brought from Egypt to decorate the spine. The size of the circus was over 600m long and over 100m wide and could accommodate approx. 250,000 spectators. The chariot races took place in the arena, with twelve chariots that made seven laps around the central spine between the two destinations. The spine was decorated with statues, kiosks and small temples and there were seven eggs and seven dolphins from which the water gushed out, used to count the laps of the race. The twelve carceres, the starting structure which was on the short straight side towards the Tiber were equipped with a mechanism that allowed them to be opened...