Circus (building)

Circus (from the Greek κίρκος κρίκος or "circle" ) was called in ancient Rome an elongated arena in which primarily held chariot races and rare animal fights of the gladiators. Horse racing tracks in ancient Greece called Hippodrome.

Architecture

The basic form of the Circus, an elongated rectangle whose one narrow side is replaced by a semi-circle, had been taken over from the Greek hippodrome. But in contrast to this was in the center of the circus a long wall, the spina, which was to go around by the participants of the race. On the spina were beyond the turning points ( METAe ) seven egg-shaped stones, with which the still laps were displayed. The floor was of sand, to alleviate the impacts of the horseshoe of the horses.

The straight entrance wall was located at the front of the Circus with the gate. On the inside, the gate was from the start boxes ( carceres ) and flanked the seats for the organizers and judges; before there were start and finish. The winner left the arena through the Porta triumphalis on the semicircular opposite side. There and on the two long sides of the Circus were the often multi-storey structured, steep rows of seats that were easily accessible from the outside through a system of outlets, stairs and corridors with refreshment rooms. For senior officials, the separated from the other places lowermost rows of seats were reserved ( emperor's loge ).

Expiry of Circus Games

The ludi circuses it was an exceptionally popular attraction of the city population, which probably took place also significantly more likely than gladiatorial combat. Several written records testify that often a large number Waiting gathered on the free spaces in front of the Circus before dawn.

The actual main attraction of the chariot race was mostly a solemn procession ahead of the so-called pompa Circensis. The organizing officials led to this, followed by a retinue, the charioteers and other athletes ( which occurred after the conclusion of the race ) and priests, the images of deities or Kaiserbildnisse carried with them or could carry.

After completion of the pageant, the organizers went to his VIP box, where he led the race in the next few hours. These were usually wear with four sidecars; the start was signaled by the host - usually the emperor, his governor or a consul - dropped a cloth. Usually, four cars of the colors were green, white, blue and red at the start, but rarely larger races with up to 16 sidecars are attested. Particularly fair and sporty in the modern sense, the race did not run from. Disabilities of opponents like zigzag driving or vehicle touches the opponent's car, with the aim to bring him down, were allowed and commonplace.

Animal fights and chariot races remained extremely popular throughout the Mediterranean world to the outgoing late antiquity in; the last testified ludi in the Circus Maximus took place in early 550 AD held in Constantinople Opel, the tradition was continued in the Middle Ages. Since the Principate there was this organized groups of supporters of the four racing stables; this circus parties were called hence the green, blue, red and white. They took over more and more, the organization of the competitions and talked " branches " in all cities with Circus or Hippodrome. While the red and white later lost their importance, the Green and Blue played especially in the Byzantine Empire for a long time often play an important role.

The special importance of Circus and Hippodrome in Roman imperial times and late antiquity can not be explained solely on the popularity of car racing; but with the gradual withdrawal of the Emperor from the public ludi were increasingly becoming the most important occasion in which the population of the ruler or - could come see his representative and in contact with them - in the governor seats. Despite a long-term tendency to Erbkaisertum and divine emperors were generally seen to last formally Champions of the people who had to watch over the res publica; usually the necessary consent of the people was demonstrated by acclamation at ludi. However, it could also lead to an actual communication in which the amount confronted the Emperor or his governor with demands. The ruler behaved repellent, it could lead to unrest - the most famous and perhaps most serious were undoubtedly the Nika revolt against Emperor Justinian I in Constantinople Opel of the year 532

Circusbauten in the Roman Empire

The largest was the Circus Circus Maximus in Rome.

In Rome there were more Circusbauten:

  • Circus Flaminius in the Campus Martius
  • Circus of Nero or Caligula in the area of ​​today's Vatican
  • Circus of Maxentius on the Via Appia Antica Karte41.85474712.521775
  • Circus Varianus the Sessorium, or the Amphitheatre Castrense Karte41.88787812.517108
  • Trigarium in the Campus Martius

The Stadium of Domitian was, although it had a similar shape, not a circus.

Aboveground visible are remnants of Circusbauten in

  • Arles Karte43.6730944.618308
  • Bosra Karte32.51666736.479706
  • Caesarea Maritima I. and II Karte32.49874134.890615 Karte32.4986634.898618
  • Cherchell Karte36.6010672.185764
  • Dougga Karte36.4265319.215909
  • Gerasa Karte32.27365535.89073
  • Gortyn Karte35.05209724.951271
  • Istanbul Karte41.00618428.975604
  • Carthage Karte36.85059110.314167
  • Cyrene Karte32.82231321.864097
  • Leptis Magna Karte32.63301414.310272
  • Mérida Karte38.919687 - 6.331826
  • Miróbriga Karte38.002318 - 8.68377
  • Sheikh Ibada Karte27.81043130.885862
  • Tarragona Karte41.1161451.257044
  • Toledo Karte39.863689 - 4.029978
  • Tyre Karte33.267735.209275

Demonstrated further in Circusbauten

  • Aegae in Cilicia
  • Alexandria
  • Anagni
  • Anazarbos Karte37.24671135.896926
  • Antakya Karte36.22623936.171734
  • Apamea on the Orontes
  • Aquileia Karte45.7744313.362164
  • Auzia
  • Beirut
  • Bovillae, now part of Marino Karte41.76347812.618573
  • Cádiz
  • Calahorra Karte42.304533 - 1.963219
  • Cáparra in Oliva de Plasencia in the Spanish province of Cáceres
  • Catania
  • Colchester Karte51.8834630.896923
  • Cuma
  • El Djem Karte35.30202710.693699
  • Gadara
  • İzmit
  • Luz in Tavira
  • Lyon
  • Milan Karte45.4630629.174474
  • Oxyrhynchus
  • Ptolemais
  • Ravenna
  • Sagunto Karte39.681386 - 0.275578
  • Saintes
  • Şanlıurfa
  • Sétif
  • Sousse
  • Sremska Mitrovica Karte44.96755319.61772
  • Syracuse
  • Thessaloniki Karte40.62940922.950836
  • Trier Karte49.7504546.648456
  • Utica Karte37.051210.06323
  • Valencia
  • Vienne Karte45.5165764.868562

From the concept to the modern concept Circus Circus is derived.

Imperial cult (ancient Rome) Nika riots Amphitheatrum Castrense Cyrene, Libya Toledo, Spain Aigai Marino, Lazio Cumae Tavira Municipality Saintes, Charente-Maritime Utica, Tunisia
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