Circus Maximus
If you have ever attended a thoroughbred or standardbred horse race at Derby, Churchill Downs or Woodbine, you have Circus Maximus to thank. Although the level of gore accepted (even encouraged) in entertainments staged at the ancient Roman stadium was much higher, it still drew as many as 250,000 fans, with championship drivers and their horses enjoying fame and fortune.
The opening date of Circus Maximus is not exactly known, but it continued staging chariot races on its 540 metres (1772 feet) long by 80 metres (262 feet) wide sand track until the middle 6th century AD when the Colosseum came into use. Races involved four, six, eight or 12 horses, leaving from 12 starting gates for seven circuits of the track. Mayhem! Maybe that’s why the Temple of Ceres was erected on site: a modicum of sanity.
What events could you see at the old Circus Maximus? Besides chariot races, the venue also hosted Roman games, gladiator fights and large animal hunts (yes it had that much space), as well as public executions. A multi-purpose venue, ancient Roman style. Down the middle of the oval was the “spina”, a 4-metre-wide (12 feet) low wall; historians are not entirely sure of its purpose.
Circus Maximums was excavated (the original was destroyed by a combination of fire, flood and demolition) in recent times and is in use again as a major music concert venue; it also hosts rallies.
