Circus Maximus

Sari Goldstein

Background• Between the Palatine and Aventine hills• Could seat up to 250,000 people• There was 3 stadiums– The first 2 burnt down

• uses– Chariot races – gladiator combats

The First• 6th century BC• Tarquinius Priscus (5th king) had the track

made• seven wooden eggs were placed on top of the

central wall in the arena. • Burned down in 31 B.C

The Second• rebuilt by emperor Augustus • added an imperial box• A large obelisk from Heliopolis was added in

for decoration• A fire in 64 A.d destroyed this one. It was the

same fire which destroyed most of Rome

The Third (and Final)• rebuilt by Trajan in AD 103• Biggest one of them all (2000x500ft)• Made in stone 3 stories high– First story made in marble

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/games/circus3.htm

http://sightseeinginrome.com/ancient-ruins/circus-maximus

Biblography• http://www.roman-colosseum.info/colosseum

/circus-maximus.htm• http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/circusm

aximus.htm• http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/circus.ht

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