Roman Circus

• The Circuses of Ancient Rome were the equivalent of the Ancient Greek Hippodrome where horse races and chariot races took place.
• The biggest Roman Circus was the Circus Maximus in Rome where regular Chariot Races took place.

The Circuses of Ancient Rome

• Circus Maximus Rome’s largest Hippodrome for Chariot Racing.
• Circus Flaminius
• Circus of Maxentius (or Circus of Caracalla)
• Circus of Nero (or Circus of Caligula)
• Circus of Agonalis (Stadium of Domitian – Piazza Navona)

Roman Chariot Races

• Chariot Races were known as ‘Ludi Circenses’ and were held in the Circus Maximus in Rome, or in similar Hippodromes around the Roman Empire.
• In the Roman Circus, usually only 4 teams of Charioteers competed, unlike the Greek Hippodromes which had 10 or more teams. Other events, however, could see up to 12 teams competing. This would produce great pile-ups at the tight bends.