Transcript sport is dangerous

Roman Chariot
Racing
Bradford Webb
Possibly the oldest spectacular sport in Rome, chariot
racing dates back at least to the sixth century BCE. It
was quite popular among the Romans and contributed
greatly to many aspects of Roman civilization
We can also see depictions of chariot racing in Rome, they had
religious ties, particularly to the chariot-driving deities Sol (the
sun) and Luna (the moon), and to a god called Consus, an
agricultural deity who presided over granaries.
Originally chariot races (ludi
circenses) were held only on
religious festivals like the
Consualia, but later they would
also be held on non-feast days
when sponsored by magistrates and
other Roman dignitaries.
Less violent than the gladiators, chariot
racing was still an extreme, dangerous
sport, in which drivers could die. They
lasted seven laps and would include as
many as 12 chariots at any one time. To be
as fast as possible, the chariots had to be
very light, which made them very dangerous
for their drivers, who were usually slaves
or freedmen. This is an example of a ring
• It is claimed that the Circus Maximus in Rome
had room for more than 350,000 spectators.
Rivalry was sometimes fierce. This rivalry
sometimes resulted in fights between
spectators. On one occasion, Emperor
Vitellius, who was a strong supporter of the
Blues, had several spectators executed for
shouting out rude comments about his team.
Works cited
• http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/circus.ht
ml
• http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/A
ncient_Roman_Chariot_Races.htm
• http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ROMc
hariot.htm