Sports
Chariot racing was very popular during the Roman Empire. Imagine getting on to your chariot, not knowing whether you would live to see then end of the race. Then, a sudden rush comes to you as you realize the amount of fame that can come from this one race. You could even buy yourself out of slavery! The race begins and you are first! The bend in the race track of the circus approaches you. The audience roars their approval as you make a very sharp turn. You are a charioteer. These men were usually slaves whose masters owned the chariots. Circus Maximus was the center of most chariot racing as it could seat 25,000 people. Chariot racing was a very spectacular event.
There were two main sports in ancient and medieval Rome. One was chariot racing. Unlike our racing, chariots were raced in a circus. These vehicles were driven by slaves most of the time, but there were some “professional drivers.” This was a very dangerous sport, as there were crashes, especially on the turns. The racers wanted to make the fans happy, so they attempted to turn very sharply at the corners of the arena. There was no set of official rules, but the first one to go around the stadium seven times won. There were also no lanes because the stadium was made of sand. Prizes and money were given to the winner. Teams were formed. There were the four following groups: red, white, blue and green. The rider wore his colors on his shirt and helmet. There were many races on racing days. From about 63 B.C.E. to 14 B.C.E.,10-12 races were held. During and after 37 C.E., 24 races were held. Chariot racing was very magnificent in that time, as were the gladiatorial games.
