Antiquities. FUI. 



Voi. Im. No. 49. 



THE CIPiCUS OF THE ANCIENT ROMANS. 



The Ancients held their races not in the open 

 field as the Englifh do at prefent , but within 

 magnificent publick buildings which fur- 

 rounded the large open courfe, and which 

 were o; ilf accomodated for the purpoie of 

 pub lick games. The! e places were generally 

 called C i-cuffes. Fig. I. of the- annexed pic- 

 ture reprefehts a Circus, leverai of which exi- 

 fted in ancient Home. 



Fig. 1. A Circus of the Ancient 

 11 0111 ans. 



The Circus was an oblong - fquare building 

 and on one of rhe narrow fides femicircular ; 

 its infide was furnifhed all around with ftone- 

 "benches and feats for the fpectators , and en- 

 compaiied a large open place deftined for the 

 charrint - and hori'e races , for the gladiator? 

 and wreftiers for the combats of wild beafts 

 and other publick games. 



On the outiide were different halls, 

 avenues, and galleries, but alfo on the narrow- 

 part of the infide (a) were various halls fhut 

 •up with gates, where the chariots, horfes 

 and wild beafts were kept till the games be- 

 gan. . in the middle of the courfe and in a 

 longitudinal direction was a wall, 12 feet 

 broad and 6 feet high (c) whole top w as orna- 

 lo ant ed with little temples, altars, obelisks, 

 pyramids, conick towers and ftatues efpecially 

 thofe of Neptune and Cybele ; and which 

 was called the fpina, (the fpine) on the two 

 ends of this elevation or eftraae flood three 

 high cones of ftoue clofe to each other, 

 (d) Round thefe cones which were called 

 metäe and which ferved them alfo for 

 ftarting pofts , the racers were obliged to 

 turn feven times. At (B) was a white Line 

 in the courfe, called creta (chalk; where the 

 race began. At (e) was the great gaie or en- 

 trance in to the circus, above which the box 

 oi the Emperour or Confui was fituated and 



from which the fignal for thè beginning of 

 the race was given. 



Fig. 2. A Quadriga. 



The chariot -racers were divided into va- 

 rious factions, which diftinguifhed them f elves 

 by the different colours of their drefs ; the 

 here reprefented was of the green faction ; they 

 wore leather - girdles round the waift and arms 

 and were generally Equeftrians or other young 

 noble Romans ; they drove, handing in the 

 low chariot which, was open behind. The 

 chariot was named Biga, Triga or Quadriga 

 from the number of the horfes which, were 

 yoked clofe to each other. He that firft fini- 

 fhed the feventh turn round the fpina and 

 arrived firft at the Meta which was oppofite 

 to the Empereurs box, jumped upon the 

 meta, and received as Victor a palm - twig, 

 a wreath, crown or the like. 



Ftp* 



. !he pole and Yoke of 

 the Chariot. 



Not only the chariot and wheels were de- 

 corated with elegant carvings, but alfo the 

 pole was generally adorned with a ram's head 

 of bronze. 



To the pole the double yoke of iron 

 was faftened which lay ed over the backs of 

 the two pole -horfes, and which being buckled 

 below, ferved at the fame time to fupport the 

 pole and to draw the light chariot. 



Fig. 4. A crowned Victor. 



At the chariot -races the victor not only 

 received a palm -twig, wreath or crown, but 

 alfo medals were ftamped in his honour; and 

 even the heads of his horfes were adorned 

 with paini -twigs as the ancient Medal (fig. 4.) 



fliOVVS. 



