Circus Maximus is an ancient stadium in Rome.

The most extensive hippodrome. Located in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills. 12 chariots could simultaneously take part in competitions at the hippodrome.

According to legend, it was at this place that the abduction of the Sabine women took place. (The Rape of the Sabine Women or the Sabine War is an episode dating back to the legendary period of Roman history), as well as the theft of Hercules' cattle.

Creation

It is believed that chariot competitions were first held here by King Tarquinius Priscus (c. 500 BC). The valley between the Palatine and the Aventine, 600 m long and about 150 m wide, has since ancient times, due to its position near the most ancient part of the city and the extremely convenient configuration of the terrain, served as a place for equestrian events associated with the ancient games of Rome (the so-called lat. ludi Romani ). Until 329 BC e. horse racing facilities were not mentioned in this place; Obviously, apart from the arena and temporary seats for honorary spectators, there were no buildings on the site of the circus. It is very possible that the valley was cultivated and produced crops, as shown by the most ancient sanctuaries of rural gods - (the altar of Konsa, the sanctuary of the triad Seia, Segetia, Tutilina), which survived even after the formation of the circus.

It is very likely that the games were given only after the end of the harvest (in 366 BC the ludi Romani were fixed for September). Only in 329 was the start built - lat. carceres - made of wood with variegated colors. There was no permanent spina; the sides were wooden. Mentions of the erection of statues, the construction of gates, the renewal of carceres and metas, the installation of an apparatus with eggs for counting tours (Latin missus), the acquisition of cages for animals, etc. appear after the Punic Wars. Under Caesar, the area of the circus was expanded and a canal (Latin euripus) was dug around the arena.

In those days, chariot competitions took place in a straight line - having reached the end of the arena, the chariots turned around and raced in the opposite direction. Later, with the development of Rome's sewer system, a large tunnel (approximately 4.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide) was built under the arena, resulting in the formation of a "ridge" in the arena over time. Leveling the ground in the arena before each competition cost significant labor, and therefore competitions could no longer be held according to the old scheme. The rules of the competition were changed, and the chariots began to travel not in a straight line, but in a ring, going around the “ridge” of the arena. The new way of holding equestrian competitions quickly took root, and since then horse racing began to be held on circuit hippodromes.

Description of the great Roman circus

Julius Caesar expanded the Circus Maximus to 600 meters in length, so that it could accommodate 250 thousand viewers(an equal number of people could watch the competition standing). In the middle of the short and semicircular side of the described arena fence there was a gate through which the winners of the races left the Circus (lat. porta triumphalis). At the opposite end of the arena there were three towers (lat. oppida); in the middle there was also a gate that served for the entry of chariots into the Circus (lat. porta pompae); Between it and the side towers there was built, on the right and left, a row of stalls (lat. carceres) for chariots and horses, located in an arc of a circle. In the middle of the arena stretched a long and narrow platform (lat. spina) with semicircles at both ends and cone-shaped pillars (lat. metae) standing on them. This platform was decorated first with one and then with two obelisks; both of them survived and are preserved to this day; the first, taken from Egypt and erected by Augustus, now stands on Piazza del Popolo; the second, even larger one, erected by Constantine the Great, was moved in 1588 to the square in front of the Lateran Palace. In addition to the obelisks, on the platform in two places there were placed on small pedestals (no doubt in honor of the patron of the lists of Neptune Eqnestris) seven sculptures of dolphins spewing water into small pools, and separately from these figures, on special stands, seven balls (lat. . ova).

Decline and destruction

As early as the 6th century, Theodoric supported the circus; the last games were given by Totila in 549. The most massive circus structure - the Arch of Titus - stood until the 12th century, but already in the 16th century. nothing more was left of the circus than was left to the 19th century, when the circus valley was built up with gas factory buildings. In the Middle Ages, stone structures of the circus were dismantled for construction new buildings. However, the circus area has never been completely developed and public events (eg rock concerts) are still held here.

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 public events were held in the arena of the Circus Maximus. 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, at different heights, there were seats for several thousand spectators, among whom there were seats for honored guests. All seats 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, locals relax in the shade of the trees, 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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The Circus Maximus is an ancient hippodrome in Rome for chariot races and other public events. Situated in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest stadium of ancient Rome. The length of the stadium reaches 621 m, and the width is 118 m. Once it could accommodate up to 150 thousand spectators. Today the territory of the Circus Maximus is a public park.

In the era of ancient Rome, the stadium hosted “ludi” - public games dedicated to various religious dates. Often the initiators of their implementation were wealthy Romans or the state itself. The spectacles themselves could be either one-day or last a longer period of time, accompanied by religious ceremonies, horse races, chariot races, gladiator fights, etc. One of the so-called "venatios" (a form of entertainment combining hunting and killing of animals), held in the stadium in 169 BC, included the participation of 63 leopards and 40 bears and elephants. On non-spectacle days, the stadium was used by jockeys and drivers for training, and could also serve as a convenient pen for livestock sold at the nearby market. As Christianity spread throughout the empire, "ludi" became less and less popular - the last known one took place at the Circus Maximus in 523 AD, and the last chariot races took place in 549.

Gradually, in the 6th and 7th centuries, the stadium was abandoned and fell into disrepair (and even partially dismantled for building materials). The lower levels, prone to flooding during floods, were buried under a layer of silt and are today located 6 m below the surface of the earth. It was only in the 12th century that a drain was built here to drain the soil, and by the 16th century the area of the Circus Maximus was turned into a vegetable garden for growing vegetables for sale. It is interesting that, despite all these vicissitudes, many of the architectural elements of the stadium survived. So, in 1587, by order of Pope Sixtus V, two ancient obelisks were moved, and one of them was installed in Piazza del Popolo. In the mid-19th century, during construction work, the lower rows of seats and the outer portico were brought to light, and since then, excavations at the Circus Maximus have periodically recovered individual parts of the ancient structure. Today, the Circus Maximus operates as a public park in the very center of the city and is often used for concerts and entertainment events.

Italy is filled with the beauty of ruined majestic buildings, many of them in its capital. Particularly noteworthy is the Circus Maximus in Rome, the ruins of which are located between two hills: the Aventine and the Palatine. It inspires sincere amazement, since its area is truly huge.

History of creation

Circo Massimo, as the Romans call it, comes from the Latin name of a place for equestrian competitions. The first word is circle, and the second is a derivative of big.

At first, grain was grown in this area, and sometimes, after it was harvested, amateur horse and chariot competitions were held. According to some historical data, even the first king of Rome, Romulus, took part in them.

This piece of land measuring 600×150 meters began its history as the Circus Maximus in the 6th century BC. e. The fifth king, Tarquinius Priscus, wanted to organize a large-scale lists at this place - an equestrian competition. At the same time, he completely refurbished the allocated area, replacing wooden trestles for spectators with covered seats, and installing them around the perimeter of the arena.

Until the 2nd century BC. e. The competition was held in a straight line, but then a water supply was laid through the hippodrome, after which it fell asleep, a hill appeared in the middle of the arena and had to be driven around. Because of him, the chariots began to drive in circles.

The hippodrome occupied most of the building, because competitions were held there. On one side there were gates for the entry of competition participants; three towers and stalls for horses participating in the race were installed near them. On the other side of the arena there was a gracefully executed large gate for the entry of triumphants who had won serious battles, so that they could perform their lap of honor.

After the reconstruction of the Circus Maximus under Julius Caesar, its area increased, and there were also more seats for spectators. Even if we compare modern large circuses and stadiums, their size is much smaller than the area of this ancient structure.

Then, over the course of several hundred years, each ruler of Rome made his own adjustments to the architecture of the building, but until 103 it remained wooden. So far, after three severe fires, King Trajan rebuilt it into a three-story stone structure. The first floor was made of marble.

The last mass equestrian competition was held in 549. After him, the circus, like the Roman Empire itself, began to decline. It simply stood unchanged for some time, and then its tiers began to collapse and local residents began to dismantle this huge structure into stones in order to build housing for themselves, and they were also used to build no less grandiose buildings in the Renaissance.

Our days

In the 19th century, a gas plant began to be built on the site of the Circus Maximus and the lower rows of the ancient structure were discovered at a depth of 6 meters.

Today, tourists can see an oval clearing at this place, along the perimeter of which there are marble punishment cells, stone stands and small sections of preserved paved paths. Its ruins are now used as a walking park.

In the ancient Roman arena you can walk and take photos against the backdrop of huge stone ruins, sit in the shade of old trees and play football with the local guys. A small section of the huge racecourse is used for football matches, concerts and community events.

Rome Day is constantly celebrated in the Circus Maximus arena.

In 2014, the legendary rock band the Rolling Stones performed there, giving their only concert in Italy as part of their world tour. More than 65 thousand fans of the group fit into a small part of the ancient hippodrome.

How to get there?

The Circus Maximus is located next to Via del Circo Massimo, which can be reached in five minutes on foot from the Colosseum or the Roman Forum.

From the Palatine Hill, near which it is located, a staircase called Scalae Caci (Caca) leads to the circus.

From other places you can get to it by metro. You need to take line B and get to Circo Massimo station.

Also, tram number 3 and buses number 60, 75, 81, 170 and 160 go to the circus.

The ruins of the Circus Maximus are just as worth visiting as the Colosseum. The sight of this grandiose structure is breathtaking; if you imagine it in all its ancient glory, you can understand what the dawn of the Roman Empire was like and the scope of plans for expanding its borders by the rulers of Rome.

Militant residents

Roman soldiers spent most of their lives raiding neighboring states. This could not but leave a certain imprint on their character. Even after returning home, they demand bloodshed and battles. This is exactly what happened within the walls of the circus.

So, people could fight in it with each other, people with animals, although, rather, on the contrary, since wild animals were often several times stronger and won in one sitting. Sometimes only animals performed in the improvised arena, furiously trying to survive in a mortal fight. But it all started with high-speed chariot riding competitions.

Two-wheeled wooden carts were harnessed to four horses with riders dressed in different colors. They had to drive seven times in circles. The winner was the one who arrived to the designated line the fastest. Usually there were four drivers, but they could make races at the request of the spectators and the magistrate from morning to evening.

It seems like there is nothing complicated about it. In fact, it was very dangerous to control two pairs of lathered horses that strive to throw off the rider at every turn. On top of that, a stone spine up to 1.5 meters high was installed in the center of the circus arena, repeating the shape of the circus itself. On its flat top there were a number of statues of gods, including Victoria (goddess of victory), Fortuna (goddess of luck) and a kind of scoreboard. And in the corners there were pillars that you could easily collide with if you miscalculate the entrance to the turn and break. Therefore, chariot riders always had to choose between taking a turn but putting themselves at risk of death, or spending a few seconds but safely driving around an obstacle.

Needless to say, the competition was not without deaths. The audience also did not hide their emotions. From above they poured out streams of shouts, words of praise, abuse, and whistles at the losers.

Awards

A significant reward awaited the winners: a bag of gold, a laurel wreath, and a palm branch. By the way, both people and horses were awarded. In ancient Rome there was a special attitude towards horses in general. They were selected only from the most valuable breeds, and a lot of money was spent on it. They could travel to distant lands for a particularly thoroughbred trotter. Riders could make a fortune by racing regularly. But often passion exceeded the opinion of reason, and they competed until they could hold the reins in their hands or until they died there. And they were replaced by more and more people thirsting for fame and money.

Soon, participants began to be selected from four different groups for the competition: white, red, blue and green. Various bets were placed on their victory; even the emperor saw nothing wrong with supporting one of the riders. Later, four political parties were created on the basis of the game, and which of its representatives won the races played a significant role in the interests of the state!

Gladiator fights

Later, chariot races gave way to gladiator fights and animal baiting. The Romans especially revered these types of “circus skills”, because blood was regularly spilled on them, the cries of the victors and the groans of the vanquished were heard. But in battles they did not just inflict wounds on each other: skirmishes between gladiators required special skills, cunning and dexterity in order to stay alive as long as possible, and the spectators managed to get enough of the spectacle.

That is why, before entering the field, the gladiator underwent special training in the school of fighters in the ability to hold any weapon and throw spears. Typically, schools educated slaves and prisoners of war. Both those and others had no choice but to win on the field and wait for the next fight or die. Sometimes the urban poor also joined the ranks of gladiators, who received a roof over their heads and food, but they did not have any preferential living conditions.

The “performance” could have several scenarios, but more often it happened like this: two opponents in bright clothes that covered small areas of the body entered the field. One of them played the role of a fisherman, armed with a net and a spear with three tips, and the second was a fish with a shield and a knife, which had to be the first to hit the catcher.

The more wounds the competitors inflicted on each other, the more it inflamed the spectators who supported them from the stands. When one of the gladiators realized that his time was numbered, he could ask for mercy from the spectators, and only they would decide the outcome of the battle. The thumb raised up gave life to the unfortunate person; if the fist with the finger went down, the defeated person was finished off.

Gladiatorial combat lasted for about half a millennium (105 AD - 404 AD). And all this time they enjoyed great popularity.

Bestiaries and fights of wild animals

But if there was at least some chance of survival, the fight with a wild animal in most cases ended in failure. A man armed with practically nothing was released against an angry bear or wild boar. Therefore, the victory of a slave was considered something akin to a divine miracle.

When the Romans got tired of human fights, battles of animals were held in the arena, and outlandish ones, for example, a rhinoceros or an elephant with a boar, a lion, or a wild bear. In order to make the attack more violent, they tried to anger the animals, and then arranged a meeting between them. Or they could tie them together and watch as the huge ball of fur and flesh became bloody. But the roar of the wounded animals was not heard - it was drowned out by the enthusiastic roar of the crowd.

Where did you get the animals from?

During the Roman attacks, newly conquered territories were required to send wild animals to Italy. Lines of cages with them constantly arrived in Rome, after which the animals were kept in the zoo until it was their turn to perform. Sometimes the animals were trained and then shown to the public. However, peaceful circus acts did not take root in Rome; spectators could not simply refuse scenes of bloodshed.

What was he like?

About 600 years ago B.C. The first circus appeared in Rome. It consisted entirely of wood, so it was small in width and height. Gradually it was rebuilt, so the base became stone with marble inserts and bronze trim, while the top remained wooden. So it could be easily disassembled at the right time and enlarged. From the outside, the building looked like a large ring-shaped wall consisting of arcades and colonnades. A narrow staircase led to each arched passage so that spectators would not be crowded while taking their seats.

From the inside, it looked like a spacious field in the center, surrounded by overhanging stands. A white canvas stretched over the top protected from rain and sun. The lowest places - only for important people: the emperor himself, the consul and other nobility - were made of stone. Wooden benches were intended for ordinary residents. Often, saving on the upper buildings led to tragedies: part of the upper structure could catch fire or simply collapse, and the huge crowding of people did not allow them to escape.

Great Roman Circus

The most exciting fights took place in the Circus General of Rome, located between the Palatine and Aventine hills. The length of the arena reached 590 meters and the width - 80 meters. Outstanding emperors took part in its construction: Lucius Tarquinius, Gaius Julius Caesar, Nero, Constantine. However, the most famous circus building today is considered. In total, there were about seven circuses in Rome alone; they were also in other large cities - Carthage, Corinth, Lyon - and, according to various sources, accommodated from 50 to 150 thousand people.

Secret meaning, or the requirement of “bread and circuses”

Circus entertainment was held quite often and required massive financial investments. Entrance to the spectator seat was free, in addition, the organizers were obliged to feed the audience well. And while they were enjoying the spectacle, mountains of meat, wine, and fruit were waiting for them below. However, until the nobility had eaten their fill, commoners were not allowed near the tables.

The state would not tolerate such waste if it had another opportunity to create the illusion of a prosperous state. In this way they tried to appease people and prevent the riots that broke out every now and then in Italy. The motto of the ruling elite said that there was no point in ordinary townspeople getting involved in politics; it was better to let them have fun watching the fights that the emperor arranged in their honor!

This is where the expression “bread and circuses” comes from. It reflects the cultural level of the Romans of that time, who preferred not to know what was happening outside their country, but did not miss a single gladiator or bestiary fight.