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Panem et circensem
Ludi Circenses
Chariot racing was the most popular sport in Rome, appealing to
all social classes from slaves to the Emperor himself..
Dio Chrysostom
• “They have no interest in anything else. When they enter
a stadium they lose all consciousness of their former
state and are not ashamed to say or do anything that
occurs to them.... constantly leaping and raving and
beating one another and using abominable language
and often reviling even the gods themselves and flinging
their clothing at the charioteers and sometimes even
departing naked from the show. " (Orationes, XXXII,
LXXVII).
Ludi Circenses
• A broad stretch of level ground was all that was required.
The word circus, which means “ring”, eventually came to
mean “race courses.” Although other shows were
sometimes presented in a circus, unless otherwise
stated, a circus was a place a Roman went to see
chariot races.
Ludi Circenses
• The word circus, which means “ring”,
eventually came to mean “race courses.”
Although other shows were sometimes
presented in a circus, unless otherwise
stated, a circus was a place a Roman
went to see chariot races.
Ludi Circenses.
• The Roman year had many days dedicated to
the gods as official “ludi” (games).
• The ludi usually stared with a series of ludi
scaenici (theatrical shows) and followed with ludi
circenses. (chariot races)
• At the end of the republic, Ludi were celebrated
on over fifty days each year and it increased
during the empire period .
Ludi scaenici
• Ludi scaeni were theatrical shows.
• Romans had both tragedies and
comedies, but by the time of
Domitian, the most popular type of
theatrical show was was
pantomime.
• In pantomime, a single actor
performed a story without speaking,
using masks, movement, dance and
music.
Ludi Cicenses
• The Ludi Romani were the oldest chariot
races. They were started by the king
Tarquinius Priscus. They were originally
Sept. 12-14, but eventually lasted over 2
weeks.
Ludi Circenses
• The seating at Ludi reflected the social
classes.
• Senators and equestrians sat in front.
• Plebeians, freedmen and slaves sat
behind.
• At the chariot races women sat with men
(although they sat in the back at gladiator
games).
Circus Maximus
The oldest and largest circus in Rome was the Circus Maximus.
Its seating capacity was approximately 250,000 spectators. It had
the same arrangement as all Roman circuses. A large long piece
of ground was surrounded on three sides by rows of seats.
Ludi Circenses
• Chariot racing
teams were
called
“factiones”.
• There were 4
main teams
known by their
colors: Red,
white, blue and
green.
Curse tablets
• "I adjure you, demon whoever you are,
and I demand of you from this hour, from
this day, from this moment, that you
torture and kill the horses of the Greens
and Whites and that you kill in a crash
their drivers...and leave not a breath in
their bodies."
Curse tablets
• Bind every limb, every sinew, the
shoulders, the ankles and the elbows
of...the charioteers of the Reds. Torment
their minds, their intelligence and their
senses so that they may not know what
they are doing, and knock out their eyes
so that they may not see where they are
going—neither they nor the horses they
are going to drive."
Curse tablets
• I conjure you up, holy beings and holy
names, join in aiding this spell, and bind,
enchant, thwart, strike, overturn, conspire
against, destroy, kill, break Eucherius, the
charioteer, and all his horses tomorrow in
the circus at Rome. May he not leave the
barriers well; may he not be quick in
contest; may he not outstrip anyone; may
he not make the turns well; may he not win
any prizes..."
Ludi Circenses
• Biga – two horse chariot
• Quadriga-four horse chariot. This was the
mosr common kind.
• Auriga-Charioteer
Ludi Circenses
• It started with a procession
in the Circus.
• Then the presiding
magistrate dropped a
mappa (napkin) to begin
the race).
• The chariots raced out of
their starting places which
were called carceres
(prisons).
Ludi Circenses.
• There were usually 24 races in a day’s
program.
• Each race was usually 7 laps.
• When the lead chariot completed a lap,
one egg or dolphin was dropped.
Circus Maximus
• The eggs or dolphins were part of the
center of the course, which was called the
spina.
Ludi Circenses
• The most dangerous part was the meta
(metae-pl) , or turning point on each end,
marked by cones. Each charioteer carried
a knife to cut himself loose if he crashed.
Ben Hur
Munera and Venationes
• Munera were gladiatorial shows.
• Venationes were spectacles that involved
animal hunts.
Munera & Venationes
• The first stone theatre in Rome was
Pompey’s theatre, dedicated in 55BC.
• In conjunction with the opening of his
theatre, he sponsored animal hunts in the
Circus Maximus (the Colosseum hadn’t
been built yet).
• When 18 elephants were brought out to be
hunted, the audience pitied them and the
elephants nearly stampeded into the
seats!
Naumachiae
• Augustus constructed special areas for
Naumachiae (mock naval fights) on the
banks of the Tiber.
Flavian Amphitheatre
• In 72AD, the Emperor Vespasian began building the
great Flavian Amphitheatre. Construction was continued
by Emperor Titus (his son) and completed by Emperor
Domitian (his other son) in 80AD.
Triumph
• A pompa was a parade or procession.
• There were many parades in ancient
Rome, but the grandest were triumphal
procession celebrating a military victory
• A triumphator was a triumphant general
granted the right to march through the city.
Triumph
• There is a description of the triumph of
Vespasian and Titus left by the historian
Josephus.
• It began in the Campus Martius, an area of
Rome formerly used for military training.
• Vespasian and Titus offered prayers to the
gods and entered through the Porta
Triumphalis.
Triumph
• The parade included lines of
soldiers, conquered people,
and even what we would call
“floats”, rolling stages
depicting the battles.
• It ended at the Temple of
Iuppiter Optimus Maximus on
the Capitoline hill.