Ancient Roman Circus Entertainment

Words: 1113
Pages: 5
Open Document
In all ages of civilization there are a few pillars in society that always stand tall, even as the outer faces change. One of these pillars is the need and demand for entertainment. Even the Roman Empire, that was thought to be the greatest empire, had a demand for entertainment. In the time of the Roman Empire, one of the most popular forms of entertainment was the Roman Circus. Unlike a modern circus today, a Roman Circus was a form of chariot racing. A Roman Circus can be compared to a major event of today such as the Super Bowl. To all citizens of every social class, from slaves to emperors, the circus was the most sought after event. This can seen in many of the works of art from this time period. Sculptures, statues, and even money, …show more content…
The largest and most famous arena was Circus Maximus which could accommodate 250,000 people. Anthony Rich, professor of ancient history at Cambridge University states that: “The Circus Maximus was first built by Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth Etruscan ruler of Rome c530BC.” A normal day at the races usually lasted the entire day and was comprised of 12 races, although this number eventually doubled. Each charioteer would have to complete 7 laps around a large dirt track that had no lanes for the horses. And despite many pictures of chariots being pulled by 2 horses the most common chariots were pulled by 4 and in some rare cases were pulled by 6 horses. Roman racing chariots differed from their military counterparts in that they were made for speed rather than protection and brute strength. Racing chariots were often made of wood and were not as sturdy as the metal battle chariots. So when the races began it was a heated battle of survival as well as glory. An example of the dangers of the races is a quote by professor Fredrik Jonsson of Chicago University that writes: “The racing chariots were light, fragile affairs, easily smashed in a collision, in which case the driver was often entangled in the long reins and dragged to death or seriously injured.” When passions erupted in the races, the charioteers tried their hardest to keep away from the edges of the track and to keep good distance between themselves and other racers. However, many sustained injuries during the races and eventually some did suffer fatal wounds. It was not uncommon for factions to even battle each other during the races and purposely injure their opponents. In fact, many drivers were injured due to the rivalry of the factions. The following curse tablet represents an attempt to incapacitate the drivers of the Red
Show More

Related Documents: Ancient Roman Circus Entertainment

The Circus Maximus's Power In Ancient Rome

People of immense power and influence have always known that for one to maintain power, they must express it explicitly for those who they wish to influence. Ancient Roman emperors were especially aware of this political tactic and employed it in several different methods to create and maintain one of the most influential and longest standing civilizations known to man. Having better knowledge, brute force, and access to resources is not enough to simply have power over others, it must be displayed…

Words 1665 - Pages 7

Ancient Rome: A Great Civilization?

Ancient Rome: A Great Civilization Arthur Erickson once said: “Roman civilization had achieved, within the bounds of its technology, relatively as great a mastery of time and space as we achieve today.” The saying “All roads lead to Rome” is true. When thinking about it, many of our everyday things, Rome created. For example, Romans constructed a sophisticated system of roads, the Senate in 503 BC, and aqueducts in 312 BC. The question being asked is Why is classical Rome remembered by history as…

Words 481 - Pages 2

Essay Fin

Why was entertainment so central to Roman politics and society? Throughout history, every civilization has had its own form of entertainment. In Ancient Rome, the form of entertainment enjoyed by all was situated in the arena and the theatre. Gladiator and animal fights were bloody, full of gore and death, yet it was these spectacles that were so popular among the officials and the public in Ancient Rome. Emperors such as Julius Caesar and his adoptive son Augustus used these spectacles to promote…

Words 1426 - Pages 6

Essay about The Colosseum's Role in Ancient Roman Society

COLOSSEUM'S ROLE IN ANCIENT ROMAN SOCIETY JULIAN ARANA PROFESSOR HENRY LARES ARC 2701 HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE I 11/29/06 The Colosseum's role in ancient Roman society For as long as humans have existed, they have always found some way to entertain themselves. Even the earliest societies have left evidence of some sort of activity or hobby that they used as a form of entertainment. Perhaps the most famous building that was used as a form of entertainment is the Roman Colosseum, also known…

Words 5689 - Pages 23

Military, Political, Social, and Economic Strengths and Weaknesses of Rome by 264BC Essay

264BC, Rome was approaching its hegemony over the ancient world. In 272BC, Tarterum surrendered to Rome, resulting in an influx in population, thus influencing changes to the political, social and economic lifestyle that the Romans were accustomed to. As rival neighbours of Rome gained experience and new technology to use in warfare, Rome was faced with harsh challenges, hence resulting in new military habits and discipline. In 264 BC, the Roman army was a citizen army. Each man who fought in war…

Words 728 - Pages 3

Comparison of Colosseum and it's era to a Modern Arena Essay example

— noun — 1. the oval space in the center of a Roman amphitheatre for gladiatorial combats or other performances. 2. a central stage, ring, area, or the like, used for sports or other forms of entertainment, surrounded by seats for spectators: a boxing arena; a circus arena Links Westpac Stadium Colosseum purpose to replace the current regional to stage various forms of stadium, athletic park, which was entertainment for the roman inadequate for international events citizens to ensure the…

Words 6464 - Pages 26

Essay on Film analysis

Aegean Art: The Early Greeks • Cycladic‐ 3000‐1000BCE • Minoan 1700‐1400 BCE (Crete) "Palace Culture"
 Palace of Minos at Knossos "The Labyrinth" Myth of Theseus and Minotaur Mycenaean 1600‐1200 BCE ( Mainland Greece) Palace of Mycenaean
 The Trojan War 1200 BCE 1. Figurine of a Woman, Cycladic, 2500 BCE Carved from marble
 A couple of feet tall Several hundred Cycladic sculptures
 Not much information about them, no writing, some found in tombs others not, may represent an…

Words 2679 - Pages 11

Essay on Summary of History of Graphic Design by Meggs

This allowed the transportation and portability of ideas. - The earliest surviving illustrated manuscript is the Vatican Vergil, created in the late 4th century by Publius Vergilius. - After the Western Roman Empire collapse in 476 AD, an era of dislocation and uncertainty ensued. - The thousand year medieval era lasted from the fifth century fall of Rome until the fifteenth century Renaissance. - In the 700’s, with the exception of Celtic pattern-making…

Words 14951 - Pages 60