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This gallery features images of Greek and Romanchariot racers. Chariot racing was the most popular spectator sport in ancient times. In Greece, chariot racing was important in aristocratic funeral games from an early period. As formal races and permanent racetracks were established, chariot racing was adopted by many Greek states and became a part of their religious festivals. In standard Greek racing practice, each chariot held a single driver and was pulled by four horses.
In ancient Rome, chariot racing was an essential part of many religious festivals. The races were held in large, purpose-built structures known as hippodromes or circuses. Spectacular events also took place in other major cities, such as Alexandria, Constantinople, and Antioch. In the Roman Empire, the chariot teams were organized into four principal factions: the Blues, Greens, Reds, and Whites.
The racehorses were bred on private and imperial stud farms in North Africa, Cappadocia, Sicily, Spain, and Thessaly. The incredibly successful racers could become millionaires, and one of the most famous charioteers was a man named Gaius Appuleius Diocles, who, in the 2nd century CE, won a total of 1,463 races.
This Panathenaic prize amphora shows a quadriga chariot drawn by four horses at full speed, with the white stele (marker) representing the finish line. This vase belongs to a distinctive type given as a prize to the winner of the chariot race in the ancient games held at Athens during the yearly festival known as the Panathenaia. The festival honoured Athena, the city's patron deity. The vase would have been one of 140, each containing 40 litres of olive oil, given to the winner. This amphora was made in Athens, c. 410-400 BCE and found at Taucheira in Cyrenaica, modern Libya.
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Questions & Answers
Where were chariot races held?
Chariot races were held in massive purpose-built structures called hippodromes or circuses, with posts marking the turning points. In Rome, chariot races took place in the Circus Maximus, a huge, oval-shaped stadium that could seat nearly 250,000 spectators.
What did a Roman chariot look like?
The Roman chariot was a two-wheeled cart made of wood that was pulled by teams of two to four horses. It was designed with small and light wheels to help stabilize it as it took sharp turns.
What did Roman charioteers wear?
The charioteers wore protective clothing of thick leather helmets and thick tunics with horizontal leather padded bands around their chests and trunks, and also around their thighs.
Who was the best chariot racer in antiquity?
The racers who were incredibly successful could become millionaires. One of the most famous charioteers was a man named Gaius Appuleius Diocles, who, in the 2nd century CE, won a total of 1,463 races of his 4,257 races and finished second 861 times.
License & Copyright
Original image by Carole Raddato. Uploaded by Carole Raddato, published on 10 June 2024. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon a work even for commercial reasons, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.
