DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13855#0096
CIRCUS.
88
CIRCUS.
each end of the carceres. The number of
carceres is supposed to have been usually
twelve, as in this plan. They •were vaults,
closed in front by pates of open wood-work
(cancel/i), which were opened simultaneously
upon the signal being given, by removing a
rope attached to pilasters of the kind called
Sermae, placed for that purpose between
each stall, upon which the gates were imme-
diately thrown open by a numbei oi men, as
Careens opening of the Gales. (From a marble at Velletri.)
represented in the preceding woodcut. The j the alba linea answered to the starting and
cut below represents a set of four carceres, j winning post of modern days.—From this
with their Ilermae, and cancelli open, as left
after the chariots had started ; in which the
gates are made to open inwards. The pre-
ceding account and woodcuts will be sufficient
to explain the meaning of the various words
by which the carceres were designated in
poetical language, namely, clausira, crypto,
description the Circus Maximus differed little,
except in size and magnificence of embellish-
ment. The numbers which the Circus Max-
imus was capable of containing are computed
at 150,000 by Dionysius, 200,000 by Pliny,
and 385,000 by P. Victor, all of which are
probably correct, but have reference to dif-
fauees, ostia, fures carceris, repaguia, limina I ferent periods of its history. Its length, in
cquorum. There were five entrances to the
circus ; one (L) in the centre of the carceres,
called porta pompac, because it was the one
through which the Cireensian procession en-
tered, and the others at M, M, X, and O. At
the entrance of the course, exactly in the
direction of the line (J, K), were two small
pedestals (liernudi) on each side of the po-
diutn, to which was attached a chalked rope
(alba linea), for the purpose of making the
start fair, precisely as is practised at Rome
for the horse-races during Carnival. Thus,
when the doors of the carcercs were thrown
open, if any of the horses rushed out before
the others, they were brought up by this rope
until the whole were fairly abreast, when it
was loc?:r.cd from one side, and all poured
into the :ourse at once. This line was also
called calx, and creta. The metae served
only to regulate the turnings of the course,
the time of Julius Caesar, was three stadia,
the width one, and the depth of the buildings
occupied half a stadium. "When the Circus
Maximus was permanently formed by Tai-
quinius Priscus, each of the thirty curiae had
a particular place assigned to it; but as no
provision was made for the plebeians in this
circus, it is supposed that the Circus Flami-
nius was designed for the games of the com-
monalty, who in early times chose their tri-
bunes there, on the Flaminian field. However,
in the latter days of the republic, these invi-
dious distinctions were lost, and all classes
sat promiscuously in the circus. The seats
were then marked off at intervals by a line
or groove drawn across them (linea), so that
the space included between two lines afforded
sitting room for a certain number of specta-
tors. Under the empire, however, the sena-
tors and equites were separated from the
Carceres, with Gates open. (Marble in British Museum )
88
CIRCUS.
each end of the carceres. The number of
carceres is supposed to have been usually
twelve, as in this plan. They •were vaults,
closed in front by pates of open wood-work
(cancel/i), which were opened simultaneously
upon the signal being given, by removing a
rope attached to pilasters of the kind called
Sermae, placed for that purpose between
each stall, upon which the gates were imme-
diately thrown open by a numbei oi men, as
Careens opening of the Gales. (From a marble at Velletri.)
represented in the preceding woodcut. The j the alba linea answered to the starting and
cut below represents a set of four carceres, j winning post of modern days.—From this
with their Ilermae, and cancelli open, as left
after the chariots had started ; in which the
gates are made to open inwards. The pre-
ceding account and woodcuts will be sufficient
to explain the meaning of the various words
by which the carceres were designated in
poetical language, namely, clausira, crypto,
description the Circus Maximus differed little,
except in size and magnificence of embellish-
ment. The numbers which the Circus Max-
imus was capable of containing are computed
at 150,000 by Dionysius, 200,000 by Pliny,
and 385,000 by P. Victor, all of which are
probably correct, but have reference to dif-
fauees, ostia, fures carceris, repaguia, limina I ferent periods of its history. Its length, in
cquorum. There were five entrances to the
circus ; one (L) in the centre of the carceres,
called porta pompac, because it was the one
through which the Cireensian procession en-
tered, and the others at M, M, X, and O. At
the entrance of the course, exactly in the
direction of the line (J, K), were two small
pedestals (liernudi) on each side of the po-
diutn, to which was attached a chalked rope
(alba linea), for the purpose of making the
start fair, precisely as is practised at Rome
for the horse-races during Carnival. Thus,
when the doors of the carcercs were thrown
open, if any of the horses rushed out before
the others, they were brought up by this rope
until the whole were fairly abreast, when it
was loc?:r.cd from one side, and all poured
into the :ourse at once. This line was also
called calx, and creta. The metae served
only to regulate the turnings of the course,
the time of Julius Caesar, was three stadia,
the width one, and the depth of the buildings
occupied half a stadium. "When the Circus
Maximus was permanently formed by Tai-
quinius Priscus, each of the thirty curiae had
a particular place assigned to it; but as no
provision was made for the plebeians in this
circus, it is supposed that the Circus Flami-
nius was designed for the games of the com-
monalty, who in early times chose their tri-
bunes there, on the Flaminian field. However,
in the latter days of the republic, these invi-
dious distinctions were lost, and all classes
sat promiscuously in the circus. The seats
were then marked off at intervals by a line
or groove drawn across them (linea), so that
the space included between two lines afforded
sitting room for a certain number of specta-
tors. Under the empire, however, the sena-
tors and equites were separated from the
Carceres, with Gates open. (Marble in British Museum )