The Circus

[Sextus Roscius]

In the back of my mind, I've always thought that perhaps the circus would be more interesting than the gladatorial games, it was the equivelent to nas car racing today.

 

High speed vehicles hurtling down tracks pulled by horses, practacly fliping off at every turn. The countrers slowly turning and the roar of the crowd. A gladatorial arena in its own right, race well, or die trying. I think it must have been more thrilling than the simple gladiator fights. The gladiator on gladiator fights were one on one or multiple on multiple, while interesting at first, it must have gotten dull after a while. But the races never did, never the same or monotone, but thundering wheels and the walls of rome would echo from the noise.

 

There was another part of the circus as well, some times dramatic battle recreations were put on before the building of the flavian amphitheater, there is even evidence that elephants were brought in from africa and used to recreate battle's with hannibal, this must have been very thrilling.

 

Truely the arena was gruesome and jovial at the same time, but was the circus more so? your thoughts.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Hey, gladiatorial games can never get boring to a Roman, bloodlust is their thing. Single gladiatorial fights weren't the only thing. Remember that mock naval battles was held in the Colisseum. Now I would pass the Flavian Amphitheater any day to watch a Naval battle in the Colisseum.

Edited November 16, 2005 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus

[Sextus Roscius]

Note that the Flavian Amphitheater is also the Colisseum, just different names, the Colisseum was adopted becuase of a collosal statue of Nero that stood there becuase the Flavian Amphitheater was built on the remnants of Nero's Golden House. I do agree that the mock naval battles would have been interesting, but they were later removed in order to make the 2 story network of tunnels we see underneath it today.

 

But your choice, not mine.

[Favonius Cornelius]

I'm sure the circus would indeed be exciting.

 

For myself though, when posed with the question of watching a boxing match or car racing, I would take the boxing. It can have more variety. I'd probably personally go to see the gladiators more.

[Scipio Africanus]

Im sure the Circus would be very exciting to watch. But I think comparing it to the gladiatorial games is like comparing Boxing to Nascar, or Football to Baseball . I mean to each their own. Its a matter of opinions I think. Both are great in my mind =p

[tribunician power]

Note that the Flavian Amphitheater is also the Colisseum, just different names, the Colisseum was adopted becuase of a collosal statue of Nero that stood there becuase the Flavian Amphitheater was built on the remnants of Nero's Golden House. I do agree that the mock naval battles would have been interesting, but they were later removed in order to make the 2 story network of tunnels we see underneath it today.

 

But your choice, not mine.

Mock naval battles were held prior to the building of the coliseum in different areas according to Suetonius and some were probably held in the circus maximus purely to meet space constraints after it was built.

[Sextus Roscius]

Note that the Flavian Amphitheater is also the Colisseum, just different names, the Colisseum was adopted becuase of a collosal statue of Nero that stood there becuase the Flavian Amphitheater was built on the remnants of Nero's Golden House. I do agree that the mock naval battles would have been interesting, but they were later removed in order to make the 2 story network of tunnels we see underneath it today.

 

But your choice, not mine.

Mock naval battles were held prior to the building of the coliseum in different areas according to Suetonius and some were probably held in the circus maximus purely to meet space constraints after it was built.

 

While mock naval battles could have been held as where, as suetonius says, and I agree with you full heartedly on that. Though it is impossible, unless a water channel was completely removed, filed in, and all documentation was destroyed, that there were mock naval battles in the circus maximus becuase of two things.

 

1. There is no remains or documents discovered to point us that there was, infact, mock naval battles in the circus maximus becuase had there been, excavation would've unearthed them at some point. The starting gates would be a prime example too becuase non of that is water proof.

2. With the center island of the Circus Maximus with the markers and other objects standing up off of it would've created obsticals for boats which doesn't seem practical.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

I'm not sure, but the one we're talking about here is about the Colisseum, not the Circus Maximus. Obviously, the material that the Circus Maximus were made of were not waterproof. Which only leaves the Colisseum as the real place where mock Naval battles were held. I once saw a Discovery Channel Documentary and they investigated the mock Naval Battles which they confirmed to be possibly have happened. In my opinon, the single evidence that proved to me that there were such battles was the fact the scientists examined the materials of the walls and systems of the Colisseum, they found out that one certain material was water-proof( it was Volcanic material, the name is too hard to remember) and they found the material on the critical parts of the Colisseum in order for there to be a such a flooding of the Colisseum.

[Primus Pilus]

There are several instances of mock naval battles not taking place in any actual arena environment.

 

A couple examples of Naumachiae (naval battles)...

Caesar flooded the Campus Martius.

Augustus flooded the 'Grove of the Caesars' near the Tiber.

Claudius held perhaps the most elaborate on Lake Fucino.

[Germanicus]

Augustus flooded the 'Grove of the Caesars' near the Tiber.

Claudius held perhaps the most elaborate on Lake Fucino.

 

See Tacitus The Annals 12.56