The Circus Maximus: The Largest Stadium In Ancient Rome

The Circus Maximus is the largest stadium in ancient Rome. Circus Maximus can seat two-hundred and fifty thousand people in the stadium. Romulus was one of the seven kings in Rome to have chariot races. The Chariot races is the most popular sport entertainment in Rome. In the sixth century Tarquinius Priscus built the track in the hills of Aventine and Palatine. The first starting gates were built in 329 BC, but the gates were also rebuilt in 174 BC, and wooden eggs were made and placed on top of the spina, which was the central wall area in the stadium. There were seven laps total during the chariot races, therefore there was seven wooden eggs. The wooden eggs counted each lap upon each lap went by a wooden egg was removed. Later, the wooden eggs would be replace by seven

The other famous winners of the chariot racers was won amongst Epaphroditus, Musclosus and Diocles. The horses has also became famous as well and was followed by many people. The chariot had to wooden wheels on it. The Chariot races could be race with four to twelve at a time. Before it was horses that pulled the chariot was first pulled by dogs, camels and ostriches, but it caused many deaths and injuries. Getting in the circus Maximus was free to all people in all levels in society throughout Rome. It can be to the Emperor to the poor to come watch the chariot races at the Circus Maximus. The last chariot race at the Circus Maximus was in 549 AD a decade later after the first race at the stadium. Today the circus Maximus can be seen as a large grassland. The stadium had gradually decay and later not useful anymore. Pope Sixtus V remove two obelisks in 1587. One of the obelisks was placed in the Piazza del Popolo. The only remains that are left of the Circus Maximus is the outline central barrier. The original structures that was used to build the stadium was now use for the renaissance