Chariot races were held at the Panhellenic festivals in Greece and in Roman times, and at the ludi sacred games staged during religious festivals. The Romans likely borrowed the custom of chariot racing from the Etruscans, who were in turn influenced by the chariot races of the Greeks. Like F1 drivers, charioteers earned large sums and were regarded as the courageous heroic sportsmen of the day. Cheering crowds were thrilled by the speed and skill of drivers, who were fêted by emperors and the public alike. In Ancient Rome, chariot racing was the equivalent of today’s Formula One, but with galloping horses rather than cars.
The nine-minute chariot race featured in the 1959 movie ‘Ben Hur’ has become one of cinema’s most famous sequences. You can read part one of the series, " The Romans: What They Ate" here part two, " The Romans: Marriage and Weddings" here part three, " The Romans: Top 5 Emperors" here part four, " The Romans: What they Wore" here part 5, " The Romans: Gladiators" here part 6, " The Romans: Housing" here.
As part of our ongoing series on ancient Roman life, to commemorate 2000 years since the death of Rome's first emperor August, celebrated in 2014, Carol Kings heads to the Circus Maximus to report on one of the most exciting sports events of the time: chariot racing.