{"id":2915,"date":"2014-01-28T20:46:50","date_gmt":"2014-01-28T20:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/?p=2915"},"modified":"2014-01-28T20:46:50","modified_gmt":"2014-01-28T20:46:50","slug":"ancient-roman-super-stars-charioteers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/ancient-roman-super-stars-charioteers\/","title":{"rendered":"Ancient Roman Super Stars: Charioteers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good Day Readers! So, let’s talk about some sports since the Olympics and the Super Bowl are just around the corner. While the Olympic Games were “the” <\/em>competition of Ancient Greece; the chariot races were the oldest and most popular\u00a0spectacle of Ancient Rome. So, we all know the iconic chariot scene from Ben Hur, but how many of you know what is inaccurate about it? Read on! http:\/\/youtu.be\/kxcMwRdNuTk<\/a><\/p>\n

An Average Race<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Model<\/a>

Model of Rome in the 4th century AD, by Paul Bigot. The Circus lies between the Aventine (left) and Palatine (right); the oval structure to the far right is the Colisseum<\/p><\/div>\n

They normally began with a pompa<\/em> (procession) which started atop the Capitoline Hill and went through the Forum and Sacred Way and back towards Form Boarium, The carceres<\/em> (starting gates) of the Circus Maximus (which could hold 250,000 people)\u00a0abutted the Forum Boarium. The emperor or triumphator<\/em> headed up the pompa<\/em> riding in a biga<\/em> or quadriga<\/em> (2 or 4 horse chariot) and dressed as a triumphant general. Then the editor<\/em> presiding over the games would follow along with a group of elites, then the drivers and chariots. These were usually serenaded by musicians. Then the priests with their ritualistic displays would enter last with statues of the gods on carts (depending on which festival and god was being honored).<\/p>\n

\"Groundplan<\/a>

Ground plan of the Circus Maximus, according to Samuel Ball Platner, 1911. The staggered starting gates are to the left.<\/p><\/div>\n

Once the pompa<\/em> was finished. The racers in their chariots would take their places behind the carceres<\/em>. The races began at the dropping of a mappa <\/em>(cloth) by a magistrate from the imperial box or above the starting gates. Races were held between quadrigae<\/em>\u00a0(four horse chariots) ;although other sizes were also used like the two horse chariot or even the rare ten horse chariot.\u00a0Chariots were made from wood and leather in order to be light and maximize handling. Accidents were known as naufragia<\/em> or shipwrecks.\u00a0Naufragia<\/em> and last-minute surges from behind were the most exciting features of a race.<\/p>\n

Technique<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n