Chariot Racing

Question 1

Which games were chariot races associated with?

Answer 1

Ludi

Question 2

What was the venue for chariot racing

Answer 2

Circus Maximus

Question 3

Define the spina

Answer 3

a barrier dividing the ancient Roman hippodrome longitudinally. Chariots would race around the spina

Question 4

From what geographical region did chariot races supposedly originate and when?

Answer 4

Easter Mediterranean, 8000-6000 BCE

Question 5

Which Ancient Greek stories feature chariot racing

Answer 5

Illiad (fall of Troy) and Odyssey (journey of Odysseus back home)

Question 6

Two cultures the Romans may have taken chariot racing from

Answer 6

Greeks

Etruscans

Question 7

What historical evidence do we have for chariot racing among the etruscans

Answer 7

Tomb of the Olympiads - some had sport paintings - scene of chariot racing

Question 8

What is the lifespan of chariot racing in Roman history

Answer 8

2000 years

Question 9

Which Roman origin story includes chariot racing and what happened

Answer 9

Romulus and the “Rape of the Sabine Women”

• Roman writers claim this was how Rome was populated
• supposedly knew about chariot racing since the beginning (festival at beginning)

Question 10

What was the Greek version of the Circus Maximus

Answer 10

The hippodrome

Question 11

What was the name of the most popular chariot and how many horses did it have

Answer 11

Quadriga, four horses

Question 12

How were the horses in a quadriga organized

Answer 12

2 middle horses attached to the pole in the middle, 2 trace horses on the outside just attached by the reigns

Question 13

What made chariot races so dangerous for drivers and what safety method was supposed to save them

Answer 13

The reigns were wrapped around the body of the driver, they were to cut the reigns if they saw a crash coming

Question 14

What was the name of a 3 horse chariot

Answer 14

Triga

Question 15

What was the name of a 2 horse chariot

Answer 15

Biga

Question 16

What was the purpose of a biga and how did it function

Answer 16

Horses trained on this one before moving up to a bigger one, both horses attached to yoke, charioteer only has to move reigns and body

Question 17

Who was a munus for

Answer 17

Aimed at below “dead people”

Question 18

Who was a ludi for

Answer 18

Aimed at above, worshipping gods

Question 19

How long was the calendar of Philocus (354 CE) and what took place?

Answer 19

176 feast days, of which:

• 102 for theatrical performances
• 64 for chariot races
• 10 for gladiatorial shows

Question 20

True or False: Owners of horses would compete in chariot races

Answer 20

False. It was unlikely the actual owners would compete, they would have someone else race for them

Question 21

True or False: one of the highest achievements was winning chariot racing

Answer 21

True

Question 22

What colours did the Romans use for chariot racing (still used today)

Answer 22

Green, blue, red, and white

Question 23

How was the organization of chariot racing similar to sports teams of today

Answer 23

Both run by (something like a) board of directors

Question 24

2 examples of where the Romans would go to get horses

Answer 24

North Africa, Middle East (Arabian horses)

Question 25

True or False: horse breeding was common in Italy

Answer 25

True. Farms all over Italy would breed horses

Question 26

What was the process for obtaining and training horses

Answer 26

Difficult to obtain - had to import and train (same logistics as for beast hunts). Horses did not enter a stable for training until they were 2 and would not be raced until they were 5 (3 years of training).

Question 27

How many chariot races took place per day of a ludi and how many horses were needed

Answer 27

Average 24 races per day, need 400-800 horses

Question 28

How many times would a horse race per day

Answer 28

1 time per day, may race first thing in the morning if they were needed at the end of the day

Question 29

What outlandish thing did Caligula do with a horse: A) served its meat after it won a race B) fucked it in the middle of the circus C) made it a senator D) disguised himself as a horse and raced in the events

Answer 29

C) made it a senator. Even had a jewelled collar and furniture for the horse

Question 30

How were horses named

Answer 30

In line with appearance, characteristics, named after myths and victories

Question 31

What does the Pompa Circensis refer to?

Answer 31

Procession for the ludi

Question 32

What took place in a Pompa Circensis

Answer 32

Charioteers and horses parades among other athletes in the procession

Question 33

Who were the charioteers

Answer 33

Not slaves, just lower class citizens

Question 34

Where did the Pompa Circensis begin and end

Answer 34

Starts near the Forum Romanium (capital hill line) and makes it way to the Circus Maximus

Question 35

Which chariots ran first and why

Answer 35

The best chariots ran first so they could possibly run a second time at the end of the day + everyone was in attendance at the beginning

Question 36

How long was the race (in km and minutes)

Answer 36

5km and roughly 9-10 minutes

Question 37

How many chariots raced at a time

Answer 37

4

Question 38

How fast could chariots go on straightaways and tunes

Answer 38

Straightaways: 70km/h Turns: 30km/h

Question 39

How could charioteers interfere with other racers

Answer 39

Could whip other horses or opponents

Question 40

What were the three prizes awarded

Answer 40

Palm branch Laurel crown Money

Question 41

Define naufragia

Answer 41

Crashes and deaths that occur during the race

Question 42

What did charioteers wear (4)

Answer 42

Helmet (falx) Tunic in the colour of their faction Fasciae (bands of cloth around body) Knife (cut reigns off body if they fell)

Question 43

What was the status of charioteers

Answer 43

Not of high status - freed men (between slave and citizen) - slaves - 21% Roman citizens - 12% slaves who became citizens through races

Question 44

How many races took place per year

Answer 44

60+

Question 45

What legal status did charioteers have

Answer 45

Status of infamia

Question 46

How were charioteers looked at by the people

Answer 46

Top sport celebrities

Question 47

How old were charioteers when they began their careers

Answer 47

Very young

Question 48

What role do factions and clubs have to chariot racing

Answer 48

Considered to be the core of chariot racing, critical to the organization

Question 49

What Ancient artifacts demonstrate the popularity or chariot racing

Answer 49

Jewelry influenced by chariot racing (even among wealthy who in most cases looked down upon the aspects of performance)

Question 50

Other than white, red, green and blue, which colours were added to the factions by Domitian

Answer 50

Purple and gold

Question 51

How were fans of chariot racing similar to sports fans of today

Answer 51

Factions would pay membership dues, sit in reserved sections, yell specific chants

Question 52

What may have explained who you cheered for

Answer 52

Where you lived or worked

Question 53

Who would the elites cheer for

Answer 53

Some elites would cheer for the emperors preference

Question 54

What were defixiones

Answer 54

Curse tablets

Question 55

What were defixiones used for

Answer 55

Curse charioteers and horses they did not want to win

Question 56

What were defixiones made of and how were they used

Answer 56

Inscribed bronze sheet, crumpled up and thrown into the fire to pay respect to the gods

Question 57

What were actions of “good” and “bad” emperors relating to the games

Answer 57

Good emperors would attend and support games; bad emperors would kill people who supported opposing teams