Circus Maximus
The Circus Maximus ( Circo Massimo Italian ) was the largest circus in ancient Rome. He had a total length of 600 meters ( the arena and stages included) and a width of 140 meters. It was therefore the largest event building of all time. Its capacity was in development as of the time of Gaius Julius Caesar 145,000 places and to have been developed in late antiquity up to 385,000 places.
The architectural history of the Circus Maximus
As early as the 7th century BC the swampy Murciatal was drained between the Palatine and Aventine, and it could be used for various competitions. King Lucius Tarquinius Priscus is, according to tradition, first wooden bleachers erected, which collapsed again and again in the history of the circus, which sometimes many death toll.
Only Caesar had installed partly permanent seating steps of marble. Augustus built the Circus further and introduced the first obelisk on the spina on the Piazza del Popolo adorns today. The second obelisk added Constantius II added in the 4th century, it is now facing the Lateran.
Domitian was the imperial palace on the Palatine expand so that he could follow directly from there the games. But only under Trajan, the circus was run entirely with stone, concrete - like material and bricks to 103. He also built a monumental imperial box again. In the 4th century AD, the circus reached its maximum capacity of.
An important for the reconstruction of the then state of construction mosaic was discovered in the famous Carrara marble for his city Luna on the Ligurian coast in the "House of the Mosaics ". The 3rd / 4th Century AD laid floor jewelry shows the Circus very accurate and thus enables, among others, not from Luna found objects, a reconstruction of the famous racecourse with imperial box.
The Circus as a venue for chariot races
The Romans had Circi of an elongated shape with a straight trim at the start boxes and rounded degree from the opposite side. The ornate among others, two Egyptian obelisks Spina told the web in the longitudinal axis. The teams went around the spina counterclockwise, usually seven. On the spine was in the Circus Maximus, a rack with seven retractable wooden eggs, which was later replaced by a marble with seven dolphins. On the number of eggs or dolphins lowered the drivers and spectators could see how many rounds had been completed.
At the ends of the spine had to drive around in a very tight turning radius. The driving style in the curves was often decisive race. Because of the high centrifugal force in curves the charioteer spanned a her best horse on the inside of the curve. Nevertheless, it came to these places often injury- falls.
The chariot races in the Circus Maximus were public events that were organized by celebrations at government expense in the frame. At the time of the Roman Republic was a full program of 12 races. In the Roman Empire, this number was increased to 24. On these occasions effigies of the gods were brought in silver and ivory cars, which were kept in the aedes Tensarum at the Capitol, in a procession at the Circus.
The first races in the Circus Maximus found, as evidenced by provisions on prices victories in the Twelve Tables, probably no later than mid-5th century BC rather than the last until the late late antiquity - under the reign of Ostrogoth Totila in 549 or 550
There were other smaller Circi in Rome, so the Circus Flaminius in the Campus Martius, the Circus of Nero in the area of today's Vatican and the Circus of Maxentius on the Via Appia.
Even in the provinces Circi and Hippodrome were created to provide the resident Romans and veterans the same entertainment as in Rome. In addition, car race played in imperial residences and governor seats an important role for political communication, see also Circus (antique ).
Further use
In the Circus Maximus found, as in most Roman Circi, the " circus games" ( ludi circuses ) instead, originally religious events with large processions. In imperial times, especially chariot races were held. There were also, as in the Colosseum gladiator fights and animal hunts.
From 186 BC were the Circus Maximus and " Games in the Greek style ", ie athletic competitions held. Caesar left for them but to build on the Campus Martius its own stadium, the future stadium of Domitian.
In the Circus Maximus and religious buildings were integrated. On the side of the Aventine stood the temple of the Sun God, to others, not localized site of the temple of the moon goddess. According to Tertullian, a subterranean altar of Consus was among the first, so-called Murcischen turning mark.
In the western substructures still got a Mithraeum was installed.
The Circus Maximus after the Antique
From the 6th century disintegrated the Circus Maximus. The large open space was used partially for agriculture. In the eastern part of the church of Santa Lucia was built in Settizodio with numerous outbuildings. Another part used the family as the Frangipane fortress. To reuse for the building of St. Peter's Basilica after all, most marble seat levels were reduced. In the 19th century was a gasometer in the western part. The remaining area was mainly built over with small businesses. In the 1930s it began to expose the surface again.
The Circus Maximus is now a grassy area where the old form is still recognizable. On the eastern corner, behind the Via Appia begins, there since the 1936 excavations. There Parts of the ancient rows of seats and stairs as well as the remains of a tower of the complex of Santa Lucia were exposed in Settizodio.
The system is used for large events and a mass audience. Thus took place on 2 July 2005, the Italian concert Live 8, according to organizers was approximately 200,000 visitors instead. Also in the Circus Maximus, the Italian national football team was received on 10 July 2006 after winning the World Cup. On 14 July 2007, the British rock band Genesis played according to the Italian press in the Circus Maximus before more than 500,000 fans.