What is the big circus in Rome? Circus Maximus in Rome: a complete guide

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 Grand 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 were collected great amount 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 buildings during the Renaissance.

In the valley between the Palatine and Aventine hills, later known as the “Circus Maximus” (lat. Circus Maximus). Tarquinius the Proud somewhat changed the location of this structure and increased the number of seats for spectators, Julius Caesar significantly expanded it, and Nero, after the famous fire that devastated Rome, built the Great Circus again with greater luxury than before; Trajan and Domitian improved it even more, and even Constantine and his son, Constantius, took care of its decoration. The last races in it took place in 549. Thus, it lasted for six centuries, and its history is closely related to the history of Rome and the Roman Empire. Its location was similar to the ancient Greek hippodromes. The Circus arena after its reconstruction by Julius Caesar was 640 m long and 130 m wide. On three sides, one short and semicircular and two side long, it was surrounded by numerous tiers of seats resting on the vaults, arranged one above the other (lat. moeniana), above which towered pavilions and galleries with columns. Lower tier, lying directly above the rather high base of the structure (lat. podium), was appointed for senators; During the time of the emperors, there was their tribune (lat. pulvinar). The next tier could only be occupied by horsemen, and the remaining tiers were provided for people of other classes. From the outside, this entire part of the structure consisted of arcades and colonnades, from under which it was possible to climb along many stairs to the seats for spectators. The huge structure had no roof, but the spectators could be protected from the sun by a canvas stretched over them.

Following the model of the oldest Roman circus, the “Circus Maximus,” others were built, both in Rome itself and in its provinces, in which at the end of the empire there was not a single more or less significant city that could do without a building this kind of. In Rome, in addition to the “Great Circus,” there were three more: built in 220 BC. e. to the west of the Capitol is the Circus of Flaminius, in which Augustus once gave the people a performance of a crocodile hunt, in the midst of an arena filled with water; The Circus of Nero (also called the Circus of Caligula and the Vatican), began construction under Caligula, completed by Nero and known in history mainly as a place of cruel torture to which the second of the named emperors subjected Christians; Circus of Caracalla, built, however, not under him, but a century later under Romulus, son of Maxentius, and important for archaeologists in that its significant ruins, located behind the former Capena Gate (behind the current Porta San Sebastiano), make it possible to study the structure of Roman circuses . But the remains of a circus discovered in the city in the area of ​​ancient Bovill, a small town at the foot of the Alban Mountains, on the Appian Way, can serve this purpose even better. This circus is not great, but it represents typical sample Roman circuses and is relatively well preserved.

Chronology

Games

Horse racing in the Roman circus. Painting by Kuhn, 1913

The almost complete destruction of the church is explained both by the fact that the squares of seats were an excellent material for buildings, and by the fact that only a smaller part of the church was made of stone. Nevertheless, even in this state of destruction we can form an idea of ​​both the plan of the circus and its interior decoration- about the first, both on the basis of excavations and, especially, on the basis of the famous Severovsky plan of Rome, from which a piece depicting the southern part of the Church has been preserved. From this fragment and the size of the valley, one can calculate approximately the dimensions of the Church. The length of the building is 635 m, width. 150 m, arena length 590 m, width. 80 m. Guided by these dimensions, you can check the authors’ instructions on the capacity of the C.: it is very possible that under Augustus the number of seats reached approx. 150,000, and by the time of Constantine it had increased to approx. up to 200,000. The interior decoration of the Circus can be judged on the basis of a number of Roman monuments (reliefs, coins, mosaics) and especially on the basis of a mosaic found in Barcelona depicting circus performances. The details of the image are almost similar to those on Roman monuments. On the spina are depicted here, in addition to counting devices and an obelisk, a number of sanctuaries, columns with statues of Victoria, a statue of the Great Mother of the Gods (riding a lion), military banners, in addition a number of athletes and animals - perhaps statues symbolizing those games that were given in Ts. in addition to ristania. On other monuments we see, in addition, the sanctuary of the three gods, the altar, trophies with captives (cf. connected people on the Barcelona mosaic), etc. The main spectacle that gathered people in Central Asia was chariot racing (in addition to these, races, athletic fights, animal fights, and exercises on horseback are also mentioned). Initially these races were integral part religious and political celebrations that accompanied the return of the army from the campaign, which affects, in the form of a relic, the pompa by which chariot competitions were introduced. This pompa had the character of a triumph, with a religious lining. She solemnly walked from the Capitol through the forum and the cattle market and entered the southern gate of the C. At the head walked or rode (if it was a praetor or consul) the magistrate, who gave games, in triumphal clothes (a toga embroidered with gold and a tunic decorated with palm trees embroidered on it ), holding in his hand a scepter decorated with an eagle; Behind him stood or walked a public servant who crowned him with a golden oak crown. Music was blaring ahead, and the magistrate was surrounded by his children, friends and clients. Behind him they carried and carried statues of gods, and subsequently of deified emperors, starting with Julius Caesar. After this introductory act, very long and very pedantic, the games began. At the same time, the gates opened and usually 4, sometimes more (6, 8, 12, depending on the number of parties and chariots of each party) chariots, in pairs or more often in fours, flew into the arena. The run began to the right of the mark and ended at a place on the opposite side, marked with a white line, after running around the spina seven times. The number of races was not always the same: it started with 10 or 12, but the further, the more their number increased, and in imperial times it reached 24 or even 36, which filled the entire day from morning to evening. Each race lasted no more than a quarter of an hour. During the race, the drivers used all sorts of means to get the first prize - means that led to the development of a special technical racing jargon, in which inscriptions were written in honor or memory of the drivers. Particularly dangerous was going around the marks, to which everyone tried to stay close; everything depended on the endurance and agility of the leftmost horse. Accidents were quite common; a light two-wheeler, open at the back, was easy to break with the strength and speed of four horses; Almost all images of horse races show, in a certain pattern, out of four competing chariots, one is broken. The prize consisted of a wreath and a certain sum of money; Both second and third prizes were given.

Circus parties

The supply of horses and drivers initially came from the state and was farmed out by magistrates. The further, the larger the magistrates' surcharges became, and the supply business was organized into two large enterprises, perhaps subsidized by the government. These enterprises maintained stables, horses, driver personnel, schools for drivers, horses were ridden, etc. Technical name these enterprises were factio; the chief manager was named dommus factionis. The factiones differed in color. Two companies of Republican times dressed their riders, one in white, the other in red, and therefore bore the name: one - russata, the other - albata. In probably imperial times, these two were joined by blue and green (lat. factiones veneta And prasina); temporarily under Domitian there were also gold and purple (lat. purpureus pannus And auratus pannus). Of these parties, only the Blues and Greens played a prominent role in imperial times; all the interest of the visitors of the Church concentrated around them. The interest in horses, in the drivers, the excitement of betting - all this, inflated by the participation of the upper strata of society right up to the emperor, led to the fact that the interests of the Church were the most vital and lively interests of Rome. Interest was concentrated on the permanent carriers of certain advantages - companies, suppliers of horses and drivers - and was inflated by the companies themselves; the viewer became accustomed to assimilating the interests of the company, and thus the result was a passionate participation in the fate not of the horse or driver, but of the party. The passion reached the point of fights and battles; influential people of one party tried to harm the other; The emperors themselves spent a lot of time in the stables of their favorite party and supported it with the power of their power to the detriment of the other. With the decline of culture, passion reaches its apogee at the Hippodrome of Constantinople. Partisanship supported interest in the bearers of the party's glory - the drivers and horses, especially drivers, since victory depended most on their dexterity.

Roman circus professionals

Specialization has driven out amateurs from Central Asia; hand in hand with it came the development of the concept of its inappropriateness as a craft for the Roman aristocracy. From time immemorial, young men of noble families drove chariots to the circus; they, while they were still pueri, showed there high school ride in a series of complex military evolutions, taking part in the so-called. lusus Troiae. IN last centuries In the republic, all this went out of fashion; Caesar and Augustus, in their desire to fight the effeminacy of society and caste prejudices, had to forcibly reintroduce the old customs. They forced noble youth to race chariots and perform both as children and as teenagers in a number of military exercises in front of the public ( ludi sevirales: participants are riders who have just donned toga virilis; lusus Traiae: participants are children of the best senatorial families). The educational goals of Caesar and Augustus were replaced by the passionate passion of C. Caligula and Nero: it was not the exercise of physical strength and the fight against prejudice, but sport itself, the love of successes, prominent and noisy in this area, that especially guided Nero and his later imitators. The glory of the charioteers and their popularity did not allow emperors like Nero to sleep. But no matter how the passion for horse racing grew in society, circus coachmen from society were still an exception: professionals set the tone in the C. The development of technology and skillful training, in connection with special abilities, produced artists who won several thousand times and made colossal fortunes for themselves from prizes and special payments from the party and employers. Their names thundered everywhere; everyone knew Scorpus or Diocletus, and a number of inscriptions tell us in detail their circus careers. The drivers began their careers very young, which was largely due to the requirement from them to be as light as possible. Most died early violent death; only a few, having made a fortune for themselves, retired. The very costume of the drivers indicated the danger of their profession: they were wrapped with belts over the tunic, they wore a smooth leather cap on their heads, their feet, right down to the sandals, were also wrapped with belts, all this - to protect the body from blows if possible and so as not to have such a thing on the whole body. clothes that could catch on something or hang on to. The reins were tied to the driver's waist so that he could drive with one hand and hold a whip in the other; A curved knife hung from the belt to cut the reins in case of a fall. The drivers were very superstitious. Amulets covered the entire harness of horses; the drivers themselves wore them on their bodies. In the tombs of Carthage and the Appian Way, many lead letters were found to the underground gods - letters that the dead man was supposed to deliver to their destination: the charioteers here entrusted each other to the attention of the underground gods, inviting them to send all sorts of circus misfortunes to the enemy.

Horses

Horses also aroused great interest. Everyone knew the famous leftists (lat. funales), who won hundreds of times. Spain, Africa, Italy, Greece, Cappadocia competed with the height of blood and racing qualities of their horse breeding plants. The consumption and demand for horses was enormous; horse studs apparently provided large breeders with good income. Especially large enterprises of this kind have created the wonderful pastures of Africa; Many mosaics have been preserved, testifying to the love for horses, interest in them and the prevalence of horse breeding in this Roman province. Each horse had its own name and its own genealogy; hundreds of names are conveyed to us by various monuments, from mosaics to lead entrance tickets-tesserae. The winning horses celebrated real triumphs on their way to their stables.

Social influence

These were the elements that made up circus life. Both Rome and the provinces lived this life equally passionately. Antioch or Lyon were not inferior in this regard to Carthage and Corinth. People in Rome might not have known how the war with the Germans or Parthians ended, but everyone knew who won on the last circus day - the blue ones or the green ones.

Time and the people of Rome have treated the Great Circus (Circo Massimo) mercilessly: from the very big stadium of the ancient world, only ruins and a huge rectangular platform remained. But once upon a time extremely spectacular events were held here, which tens of thousands of Romans came to see.

Today the Circus Maximus is a huge green field, which the townspeople use for jogging, picnics, and the Roman authorities use for concerts and public celebrations. Occasionally, concerts and performances are held there. However, if you arm yourself with historical data about this place and use your imagination, a completely different picture will appear: a crowd of thousands, together with the emperor sitting in a separate box, roars furiously, chariots rush at crazy speeds along the oval of the arena, riders drive their horses to the finish line with all their strength, trying to you won't die in this crazy race. Chariot races that were held here during the Ancient Rome, were a deadly sport: those riders who fell out of the chariot during the race were run over by rivals rushing behind them. These competitions are shown very realistically in the film “Ben-Hur” of 1959.

The director of this film for filming the scene with chariots (which, by the way, before the advent of computer graphics considered the most spectacular in the history of Hollywood) required the participation of 15,000 extras. In reality, there were much more spectators in the stands: throughout its thousand years of history The arena's capacity varied, but it was never less than 50,000 people. By the end of its existence, the Circus Maximus accommodated, according to various estimates, from 150,000 to 250,000 spectators. For comparison: the Colosseum has a capacity of 50,000 people, and the largest football stadium in Europe has a capacity of 100,000.

History of the Circus Maximus

The Circus Maximus was never a circus in the current sense of the word: from the very beginning it was a platform for sports competitions, most often for horse races and chariot races. The flat area between Aventine and Palantine was ideal for organizing competitions. According to legend, the first event held at this place was sports games organized by Romulus: the founder of Rome invited residents of neighboring regions to them in order to win their wives from the guests in the midst of the competition. The purpose of the abduction was to correct the demographic crisis - there were much fewer women in the city than men.

Regular games began to take place in the Circus Maximus around the 5th century BC. Initially, only wooden benches were installed around the arena for the nobility; the rest of the public simply sat on the hillsides. Each subsequent ruler of Rome tried to improve the arena, so more and more comfortable seats began to appear on it, and the stands grew larger. By the beginning of our era, a comfortable box under a canopy was built for the emperor in the circus, and multi-tiered wooden buildings were built for commoners. They were usually built haphazardly, without caring about the reliability of the structure - it is known for certain that during one of the collapses of the stands, 1,100 spectators died.

Horse racing was held in the Circus Maximus arena until 550 AD. Over the ten centuries of its existence, the central platform and the space around it changed many times: at first it was an elongated field, one edge of which was rectangular, the other round. The riders started at one edge of the area, raced at full speed to the opposite, rounded one, turned around there and returned to the starting point. Then the track was turned into a ring, the chariots drove along it counterclockwise, in a circle. Built at the launch site triumphal arch, and in the inner part of the oval track they built a hill on which there were statues and three pillars along the edges - metas - chariots turned around them.

Why was the Circus Maximus needed in Rome?

By the time the Circus Maximus acquired its final form, it was a stadium 120-150 m wide and 600-650 m long. During the races, up to 12 chariots went to the start at the same time. Almost every race was accompanied by serious injuries or death of the riders: the chariots often collided with each other at high speed and overturned. However, the public liked such a spectacle, so races were held regularly. Other competitions also took place in the circus arena: athletics games, for example, and sometimes gladiator fights. But the main purpose of the arena was still chariot racing.

According to established tradition, every emperor of Ancient Rome during his reign tried to build something grandiose in memory of himself. The Circus Maximus was also a platform for the implementation of ambitious plans. Augustus distinguished himself the most: he ordered the perimeter of the arena to be lined with stone, capital stands to be built, and the space inside race track turn it into a pedestal for installing statues of impressive size on it. Most of all, the audience was struck by the 85-meter Egyptian obelisk, which Augustus ordered to be installed in the center of the field.

Emperors Nero, Trajan and Constantine also decorated the stadium, but everything they built was destroyed in fires over and over again. When the competitions stopped in the 6th century, the townspeople began to take away the buildings of the Circus Maximus. Construction Materials, so that only the ruins of their foundations have survived to this day. The obelisk from Egypt was most fortunate: although not in its full size, Augustus’ gift to Rome can today be seen in Piazza del Popolo.

How to get to the Circus Maximus

It's easy: there is a metro station nearby, named after him - Circo Massimo. A visit to the Circus Maximus can be combined with a visit to the famous landmark, the Mouth of Truth, and the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Capitol are all within a 15-minute walk.

The Great Circus (Circo Massimo, Circo Massimo) is the largest hippodrome in ancient Rome, located on the left bank of the Tiber River, between the Palatine and Aventine hills, almost in the center modern city.

The name Circo Massimo - Great Circus - comes from the Latin Circus Maximus. One of the meanings of the word Circus is lists, place for equestrian competitions. Horse racing has taken place in the valley between the hills for centuries - historians speculate that it may have been a seasonal celebration in honor of Neptune the Mounted.

The first competitions were held in Rome in 500 BC, under King Tarquinius Priscus (lat. Lucius Tarquinius Priscus). Chariots drawn by four horses - quadrigas - raced from the start in a straight line. Having reached the end of the valley, they turned around and galloped back at full speed, trying to reach the finish line first.

In the 2nd century BC. the rules changed due to construction in Rome around 146 BC. water supply It was laid along the bottom of the valley, digging a tunnel 4.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide. A hill stretched along the entire lists, which they did not level, but let the quadrigas go in a circle. This is how the second meaning of the Latin Circus - circle was fully justified, and then the Italian word Circo (circo) - circus - appeared. The circus was indeed “massimo” - large, the size of an entire valley, 150 meters wide and more than six hundred meters long.

Description

Descriptions of the circus different periods developments are different. At first, spectators who wanted to watch equestrian competitions were located right on the slopes of the hill. Gradually, the first buildings appeared: benches for the most respected and wealthy townspeople, a wooden starting point and stalls for horses.

Now, thanks to the new dimensions (118 m wide and 621 m long!) it could simultaneously accommodate 12 quadrigas.

A fence was erected around the stadium, wooden stands were built for the patricians and tiers for the public were simpler. There were 150 thousand seats, in subsequent centuries their number more than doubled. At least the same number of fans were worried about the outcome of the competition while standing.

At one end of the arena there were three towers, the central one with a gate for entry inside; stalls for horses - punishment cells - were attached to the other two in a semicircle. The winners left the circus through the gate on the opposite side.

Along the arena, in the center, there was a narrow platform decorated with two ancient Egyptian obelisks. Both obelisks survived and decorate in Rome (Piazza del Popolo) and the square in front of the Lateran Palace (Palazzo del Laterano).

On both sides the platform was completed with curves with pillars in the form of cones - metami. The chariot race began from one of the places and ended at the opposite end of the arena after seven laps. The circles had to be counted; for this, two stands were installed on the platform, each with seven balls. Over time, small fountains appeared nearby in the form of dolphins - sea horses of the patron saint of the lists of Neptune.

Sunset

After Caesar, Circo Massimo attracted the inhabitants of Ancient Rome for another half a millennium. It seemed that the decline of his fame was not yet coming. Many emperors who ruled in Rome contributed to the decoration of the circus.

So, after the fire that happened in Rome in 31 BC, restored the circus and gave it final form . Its basis was stone stands in the form of steps for privileged spectators - senators and horsemen. The two upper tiers remained wooden, and arcades with shops and taverns appeared outside. Decoration continued after Augustus: under Claudius, the punishment cells became marble and the cages became gold; under Nero, in the name of expanding the arena, a canal was dug in.

IN last time the races took place in the Circus Maximus in 549, during the reign of Emperor Totila. After this, the era of destruction began.

The Romans dismantled stone from ancient buildings to build new buildings, and the remains were covered with soil. Archaeologists who carried out excavations in the 19th century before the construction of a gas plant on this site discovered the lower rows of the circus at a depth of 6 meters.

Today in Rome, on the site of the Circus Maximus, there is a vast oval-shaped clearing. The remaining ruins - parts of the path, marble punishment cells and stone stands - amaze our contemporaries with their size.

A very important recreation area for the city is located here. It is often used for mass celebrations and parades. military equipment, concerts and celebrations.

How to get there

You can get to Massimo on foot in 5 minutes from (Foro Romano) and (Colosseo), and from the Palatine Hill the Caca stairs (Scalae Caci) lead directly to the circus. She keeps the memory of the tenth labor of Hercules. They say that it was here that the three-headed shepherd Kak, the son of Hephaestus and Medusa, spitting fire, hid the two best cows of Geryon, which he stole from Hercules, sleeping on.

Here Hercules entered into single combat with Cacus and returned the stolen goods.

• If fatigue takes its toll, the most convenient thing is to take the metro and get to Circo Massimo station (line B). They will also deliver here:
• buses No. 60, 81, 75, 160 and 175;

tram number 3.

Historians suggest that the events of the legend of the Sabine Women, which has become a favorite story of world culture, unfolded right here, in the valley of the Circus Maximus.

At the time of Romulus, all of Rome fit on the Palatine and was so strong that it could subjugate everyone around it. But there were no women in the city of warriors; there was no one to continue the family line. They turned to their neighbors for help, but were refused, and then the cunning Romulus invited them to celebrate the festival of Neptune, the god of horses, in a large valley at the foot of the Palatine. Among others, the Sabines also came, taking with them their wives and children. At the height of the holiday, Roman youths rushed to kidnap Sabine women - the Sabines.

Their husbands and brothers could not stand the insult and soon besieged Rome, but the same the women who started it all were able to reconcile the men. This was the beginning of the unification of scattered fortified settlements on seven hills into an ancient and eternal city.

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What, if not the scale of urban development, can emphasize the greatness and prosperity of the state? great country- great buildings. And this fully applies to the Great Roman Empire, in which from its very inception they paid great attention architectural art, erected magnificent structures that still amaze with their grandeur and functionality.

One of these amazing objects is the Circus Maximus or Great Circus - the first and largest arena built in Ancient Rome for sports games and festive spectacles held several centuries before our era by the royal Tarquinius Priscus. In essence, it was a huge area for agricultural work in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills. After the harvest, horse races were held here, in which up to 12 chariots drawn by quadrigas of horses could take part. To go the distance, the chariot had to rush in a straight line, and then turn around and fly back. The arena itself and the spectator areas were temporary.

But the Romans loved these competitions so much that former field decided to leave it exclusively for equestrian competitions, and built a colorfully painted wooden start. This was in 329 BC. Somewhat later, a sewer system tunnel was built under the arena, at a depth of 4.5 meters, which over time began to rise like a ridge between the sports tracks. For better conditions The rules of the competition were changed, ordering chariots to drive not in a straight line, but around the arena, thus forming the first circular hippodrome.

The oldest documents that have survived to this day contain many images and descriptions of the Circus Maximus in different time his existence. Time passed, emperors changed, and the appearance of the great stadium changed. Julius Caesar increased the space of the circus to 600 meters and Circus Maximus was able to accommodate about 250,000 seated spectators and the same number of standing fans. Three towers with stalls for horses and gates for the entry of competing chariots were connected to the gate for the winner on the opposite side by a long narrow platform laid in the middle of the arena. The platform was decorated with obelisks and sculptural fountains in the shape of dolphins in honor of the god Neptune, the patron saint of games.

The reign of Augustus brought the Circus Maximus a permanent form. The steps closest to the hippodrome were reserved for high-ranking horsemen and senators, the lower floor was stone, and the remaining two were wooden, which burned more than once during the times of different rulers. The huge structure was repeatedly rebuilt, restored and decorated. The last equestrian lists in its arena were hosted by the Circus Maximus in 549 during the reign of Totila.

In the Middle Ages, the ancient stones of the stadium were dismantled for the construction of buildings, and in XIX century part of the legendary valley was set aside for the construction of a gas factory. But nonetheless, most of The first hippodrome remained untouched and some buildings, parts of the stands, fragments of the starting gate, retained the imprint of the history of Ancient Rome. And now holidays, festivals and rock concerts are held in the arena of the Great Circus, amazingly combining modern musical art With historical architecture times of the great Roman Empire.