CLST 103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 32: Toga, Chariot Racing, Roman Kingdom

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: CLST 103
• Professor: M Barbara Reeves

Document Summary

The circus maximus is the earliest chariot race track in rome, built back in the regal period. Seating for 250,000 people (1/4 of the city could watch at one time) with so many people there would be fights that would brake out between fans supporting different teams. Slightly different shape at each end of the track with a divider down the center. Four teams would race at the same time (the four colours) Pompey was given a ban due to spectators fighting. Emperor, family and guards were able to watch in a box. The box was separated and protected from spectators. They were able to use a different entrance to get into the box. However, if they didn"t like one of them they would start a chant at these events to get the emperors attention. Good emperors would listen to the people, poor emperors would ignore. Rome lasted for hundreds of years as a stable political entity.