Circus Maximus, Rome
the circus is primarily dedicated to the Sun; the sun's temple is in the middle of I; the sun's effigy shrines from the top of the temples...the ornaments of the circus are themselves so many temples... The eggs are assigned to the honour of Castor and Pollux...the dolphin spout in honour of Neptune.... The huge obelisk is set up for the sun....Consus is in hiding underground, and the goals - the Mercan goals".
THE CIRCUS STRUCTURE. The structure built during the Roman Empire contains monumental versions of all those religious and symbolic elements linked to the origins of the Circus Maximus and the time old festivals that ere held in the Valle Marcia an area that had always hosted religious ceremonies connected with the agricultural cycles.
The main features of the circus were the tiers of seats (cavea) with the upper tiers built wood, the starting stalls for the chariots (carceres) and the wide platform or median strip running down the middle of the track (Spina or Euripus) with two large turning posts at either end (metae) which designated the boundaries of the race track. The median strip was adomed with chapels and altars to the divinities associated with the activities for which the valley had been known since A Times The oldest of these was an underground altar to the god Consus. In the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. Lap counting devices made their appearance in the form of stone eggs and dolphins. Two Large red granite Obelisks from Egypt were erected in the Circus Maximus. the first by Augustus in 10 BC and the second by Constsllus II 357 AD. The ancient altar to Murcia, the goddess of the valley could still be found on the race track in the imperial age along its southwest side.
Generally speaking the seating was sub-divided into four sectors from the bottom to the top ima, media, summa and porticos in summa cavea) this subsection reflected a rational organisation of the flow of spectators, since seating was arranged according to social class.
Under the Empire, the stadium contained temple of the Sun on the side nearest the Aventine hill, on the steps the tribunal of judges for the race was situated, while across the track, on the side near Palatine hill, stood the monumental Pulvinar Structure shaped like a temple adomed with the statues of the divinities preceding each event. the Pulvinar also served as a viewing platform for members of the emperors family.
The starting gates for the chariots, the carceres were positioned somewhat obliquely in order to give the contestants an equal chance. The gates constituted the border of the circus nearest to the Tibur, while on the other short end at the centre of the hemicycle the large triple Arch of Titus lent grandeur to the triumphs and other processions that entered here. Symbolism was at the stadium, their were 12 Gates in the carceres , like 12 signs of the zodiac and months of the year. the four colours of the teams was connected to the seasons. the metae represented the frontiers to East and West. There were 7 laps to run after 7 planets and days of the week, and the two large Egyptian obelisks were dedicated to the celestial Charioteer, the SUN.
Circus Maximus, Rome
the circus is primarily dedicated to the Sun; the sun's temple is in the middle of I; the sun's effigy shrines from the top of the temples...the ornaments of the circus are themselves so many temples... The eggs are assigned to the honour of Castor and Pollux...the dolphin spout in honour of Neptune.... The huge obelisk is set up for the sun....Consus is in hiding underground, and the goals - the Mercan goals".
THE CIRCUS STRUCTURE. The structure built during the Roman Empire contains monumental versions of all those religious and symbolic elements linked to the origins of the Circus Maximus and the time old festivals that ere held in the Valle Marcia an area that had always hosted religious ceremonies connected with the agricultural cycles.
The main features of the circus were the tiers of seats (cavea) with the upper tiers built wood, the starting stalls for the chariots (carceres) and the wide platform or median strip running down the middle of the track (Spina or Euripus) with two large turning posts at either end (metae) which designated the boundaries of the race track. The median strip was adomed with chapels and altars to the divinities associated with the activities for which the valley had been known since A Times The oldest of these was an underground altar to the god Consus. In the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. Lap counting devices made their appearance in the form of stone eggs and dolphins. Two Large red granite Obelisks from Egypt were erected in the Circus Maximus. the first by Augustus in 10 BC and the second by Constsllus II 357 AD. The ancient altar to Murcia, the goddess of the valley could still be found on the race track in the imperial age along its southwest side.
Generally speaking the seating was sub-divided into four sectors from the bottom to the top ima, media, summa and porticos in summa cavea) this subsection reflected a rational organisation of the flow of spectators, since seating was arranged according to social class.
Under the Empire, the stadium contained temple of the Sun on the side nearest the Aventine hill, on the steps the tribunal of judges for the race was situated, while across the track, on the side near Palatine hill, stood the monumental Pulvinar Structure shaped like a temple adomed with the statues of the divinities preceding each event. the Pulvinar also served as a viewing platform for members of the emperors family.
The starting gates for the chariots, the carceres were positioned somewhat obliquely in order to give the contestants an equal chance. The gates constituted the border of the circus nearest to the Tibur, while on the other short end at the centre of the hemicycle the large triple Arch of Titus lent grandeur to the triumphs and other processions that entered here. Symbolism was at the stadium, their were 12 Gates in the carceres , like 12 signs of the zodiac and months of the year. the four colours of the teams was connected to the seasons. the metae represented the frontiers to East and West. There were 7 laps to run after 7 planets and days of the week, and the two large Egyptian obelisks were dedicated to the celestial Charioteer, the SUN.