Circus Maximus - 1976 Words

Circus Maximus It is nearly impossible to look at the field that holds the remains of the Circus Maximus and understand what it once held without the aid of a vivid reconstruction. The remains of Circus Maximus lie in the Valley between the Aventine and Palentine hill. Traditionally, the history of the Circus Maximus began with chariot races held in honor of the God Consus in a less permanent structure in the area near Consus’s altar. In later years, this lead to the construction of a circus under the first Etruscan king, Tarquinius Priscus around 600 bc. Previous to Tarquin’s intervention, an underground stream kept the valley swamp like. Tarquin diverted the water and drained the area and began to hold chariot races in the area. The†¦show more content†¦Racers were expected to remain in their chalked lanes until passing a marked break line at which time the charioteers were free to take any position on the track. The jargoning for the ideal location on the track often made racing a dangerous sport. The chariot races traditionally consisted of seven laps about the track counterclockwise. Turning posts dubbed matae consisted of 3 gilded bronze cones set atop a hemispherical shaped block. The races lasted somewhere in the realm between eight and nine minutes and the race length was measured to be near three miles. More often than not, chariots were pulled by four horses. At the beginning of the races, it is suspected that chariots were owned privately and the charioteers hired by the owners. Over time factions, a system of professional chariot racing organizations emerged. The timing of the initial use of factions is expected to have been sometime shortly after the Second Punic War. The factions seem to have emerged over time out of need rather than by a specific mandate. The amount of chariot races and popularity of the sport a public need for organization became apparent. The efficiency offered by factions was a popular solution to the inadequacy of the previous system. The faction owners had teams of workers and all sorts of resources for their athletes. The horses, chariots,Show MoreRelatedThe Circus Maximus1098 Words   |  5 PagesThe Circus Maximus The Circus Maximus, located in the Vallis Murcia (valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills) in Rome, was an ancient hippodrome and mass entertainment venue for the citizens of Rome. The Circus Maximus was first utilised for public games and entertainment by the Etruscan kings of Rome. The first games of the Ludi Romani (Roman Games) were staged there under the rule of Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth Etruscan ruler of Rome. They were in held in early September at the endRead MoreThe Life Of The Circus Maximus1823 Words   |  8 Pages the Circus Maximus do not launder just money which they skim from casinos or wherever to build up their coffers as part of a slush fund. No, they also launder other things,† mentioned Walther. â€Å"I am talking about something else besides millions of dollars in hard and liquid assets such as gold and silver bullion, gems, bank notes and securities.† â€Å"Like what?† the Wise Man asked, demanding answers. Brà ¼nnhilde began to describe to the Wise Man about the other things that the Circus Maximus considersRead MoreRome And Rome : Colosseum, Circus Maximus, And Hippodromes1610 Words   |  7 Pagesfacilities and how they were structured it can be breath taking and offer a wealth of knowledge. Some of the greatest facilities still stand today and others are being built. Some of the most famous facilities being in Greece and Rome: Colosseum, Circus Maximus, and Hippodromes. The Colosseum is one of the greatest buildings ever built. It was built around A.D. 70-72 by Emperor Vespasian (Colosseum). In A.D. 80 the Colosseum was opened up for games (Colosseum). Some of the games being played were gladiatorialRead MoreShould Animals Be Banned?1742 Words   |  7 PagesShould the Use of Animals in Circuses Be Banned? People have been flocking to see the dancing animals at the circus for ages, but how much do you really know about what goes on behind the scenes? The use of animals in the circus has a long history dating all the way back to ancient Rome. In fact, the first established circus in history, Circus Maximus, used animals. Even in those ancient times, the use of animals to entertain humans proved to be a very lucrative business. For the people that attendRead MoreThe Mistreatment of Circus Animals1561 Words   |  6 Pages Imagine being in a circus ring watching tigers and lions leaping through blazing rings of fire, elephants standing on their heads, and monkeys riding red bicycles for a colossal crowd of screaming, cheering fans. The elephant’s exhausted, worn body is swamped with intricately designed drapes. 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There were the gladiators, the feeding of people to lions, animals fighting animals, animal hunts, animal circus acts, and mock sea battles, where the Colosseum was flooded with water. The animals used in these events were kept below the Colosseum and an estimated 5,000 animals were killed the day the Colosseum opened. The animals were kept under the ColosseumRead MoreAncient Roman Art Of Entertainment1561 Words   |  7 Pageshow they were formed or who cultivated them. Displays of mass public entertainment took on a number of different forms, from festivals such as ludi Megalenses, ludi Ceriales, to â€Å"ludi Circenses, (chariot racing in the circus) Venationes (games with animals, also in the circus, but later they took place in the amphitheater as well) and theatrical performances, ludi Scaenici† (Potter and Mattingly, 206). Although the games were religious in origin, they gradually acquired secular and political importanceRead MoreThe Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome656 Words   |  3 Pagesimportant useful invention was the aqueducts. They carried in water to drink. The water was also used for water plant that provided food. They even used water to wash away dirt to get minerals from mining. One big public entertaining place was the Circus Maximus. It could hold 150,000 people and the arena was 2,037ft in length and 387ft in width. Gladiator, chariot racing, athletics, plays, and ceremonies were held there. The Coliseum could hold 50,000 people and was 615ft long and 510ft wide. Deadly