Ludi Circenses

[Spurius]

Part one: The Chariot Races

 

The team of horses was called auriga; the best horse was the funalis, always the horse on the extreme left.. As befits Roman society, the best teams were those in which the common auriga was employed to best effect with their better, the funalis. The chariots were built purely for speed, very far removed from war chariots, and were drawn by teams of two, four or sometimes more horses. A two-horse team was called a biga, a three-horse a triga and a four-horse team was a quadriga. The larger teams, as many as six to ten horses, were very rarely used and mostly as a showcase of drivers skill rather than speed.

 

to the full article

[Favonius Cornelius]

Interesting! I look forward to your other parts. I'm a red fan myself.

 

Here is a question: the Romans loved their games, but if it was not for Caesar and his spectacular events, would the Empire had formed such a fixation on them?

 

Caligula liked the greens. I wonder if anyone other than the greens ever won during his reign.

 

'Congradualtions on your win Aulus Maximus of the whites. The emperor wishes to congradulate you...personally.'

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Is Ben Hur fully accurate to your details? I've never seen the movies, just wondering if its accurate.

[Pertinax]

The small fiat driving past in one scene rather puts a dampner on things.

 

What an excellent post Spurius I really enjoyed that, any of these items on manners and customs are insightful

[Spurius]

Hi, I've been a bit busy and working on a revision of this post, but I'd like to answer some comments.

 

FLavius Valerius Constantinus: Ben Hur, the Chuck Heston version, did capture the wide open feel of the race...and the potential body count. As noted in the post- Roman style wrapped reins could lead to dragging. The spina could get that tall and decorated, enough to obstruct view of the other side of the track...but the public seemed to think that added to the suspense. (Green was leading going around the far meta, but Red was close. And there was a lot of Red cheers over in the other stand...)

 

In my revision I'll also mention the use of fish (a nod to Poseidon and horses) to note laps, though not in the way the movie shows.

 

Pertinax: Fiat, too bad it's from medieval latin or else it might have made a combined meaning instead of just the obvious car company location. Thanks for the compliment.

 

Favonius Cornelius: Good question. If it hasn't been discussed before it's fully worthy of its own thread. I'll be checking. My initial thoughts are people need entertainment, no matter what. The physicality and athletic feats of the games would be roughly equal to great special effects in today's movies...so sports of any type would still have been popular. Perhaps the threatre would have received a boost if Ceasar had been public in watching them. (Not to say he watched the games while working through them, he just knew what concessions he had to made to the "mob".

[Viggen]

thanks Spurius for this excellent post, it is now made into a web page!

 

cheers

viggen

[caldrail]

Is Ben Hur fully accurate to your details? I've never seen the movies, just wondering if its accurate.

 

No, it isn't. Wonderful drama, but not right. Roman racing chariots were much lighter in construction. The Ben Hur film uses triumphal chariots that the horses are struggling to pull for the entire race. Ben Hurs nemesis would not have raced. It would have destroyed his social standing. He would have sent a slave to race for him with strict instructions to win at all costs. As for the scythes on the wheels, the referees simply wouldn't have allowed that.