Image: a bronze figurine of a biga - two horse chariot

Roman Racing

Chariot racing, dating back to the 6th century BCE, is perhaps Rome’s oldest sport. Originally held during funeral games and associated with the deities Sol (Sun) and Luna (Moon), the sport has its roots among the Etruscans, an ancient civilization living in Italy before the Romans. Chariot racing was the most popular sport in Rome among all social classes.

The races were held in a circus, an oval shaped venue. The Circus Maximus in Rome is the oldest and largest example. During the reign of Augustus, the Circus Maximus held 150,000 spectators. Evidence of the enthusiastic support for racing can be found in racing motifs on common household objects like terra cotta pots, signets rings and children’s toys (see image on right). The following is a scale model showing the greatest racing arena in the ancient world, the Circus Maximus:

Image: model of the Circus Maximus

Roman Chariots and Charioteers

Image: wall painting showing four charioteers and their horses

This mosaic depicts a set of four charioteers, each wearing a different color. The colors were based on teams, and the crowd divided their attention based on what color they cheered for. There were four main racing teams: Red, White, Green and Blue.

Roman racing chariots were designed to be small and lightweight. The most common chariot was the quadrigae, a chariot pulled by a four-horse team. The chariots were made of wood and had little support for the charioteer who balanced himself as he drove.

Racing was quite a dangerous sport. Charioteers wore little protective clothing, faced being dragged and trampled by their horses when accidents occurred, and so several racers died young. The hazardous potential of the race did not stop there from being some famous charioteers. Gaius Appuleius Diocles won nearly 1,500 races and collected winnings of 36 million sesterces during his racing career. Note: it is hard to make a direct comparison to modern dollar amounts when talking about ancient money, but even so, 36 million sesterces was a lot of money in Roman times. Some charioteers gained such popularity that they were depicted in statues and monuments.

Race Day

A day at the races in Rome began with a pompa (procession), led by the sponsors of the games. Next the charioteer teams, musicians and dancers, and priests made their way to the Circus. There were 12 races planned per day. Teams gathered at the starting gates waiting for the drop of the mappa (a white napkin), indicating the start of the race. Charioteers raced around the spina, which was a barrier running down the center of the spatium, the race course itself. They would turn at the metae (turning posts), completing the race after seven laps. Each lap was noted by the turning of a counter in the shape of an egg or dolphins. The victorious charioteer received reward money and a palm branch while the crowd cheered wildly. The mosaic displayed to the right depicts a victorious charioteer, holding a palm branch and celebrating with his fellow red team members.

A detailed model view of the Circus Maximus looking down the length of the spatium. Note the spina in the middle, with various statues adorning it:

Image: a closer view of the Circus, showing the central spina.

Other Entertainments

Entertainment was a key leisure activity for ancient Romans. Spectators enjoyed sporting events like chariot racing and gladiatorial combats during Imperial victory celebrations, festival day activities and in honor of important government patrons. The Romans also attended both comedic and tragic theatrical productions. Entertainment also found its way into the daily activities of Romans: elaborate dinner parties and baths were staged with musicians, acrobatic performers, poets and dancers. Chariot racing may have been the most popular entertainment in the ancient Roman world, but the Romans found many ways to enjoy life.

All images on this page are courtesy of VRoma.