You could call it the extreme sport of the ancient world.0:04
However you classify it, chariot races were full of danger and excitement, and a definite passion of the ancient Romans.0:08
What was all the fuss about?0:16
Well, here with me today is Professor Charles Nickerson to tell us about this popular ancient pastime.0:18
Welcome to the show, Professor Nickerson.0:25
Professor, can you start by describing to us a typical race?0:28
Chariot races took place in a stadium, or circus as they were called.0:34
The circus was oval in shape and seated hundreds of thousands of spectators.0:39
The ground consisted of sand and there were no lanes.0:46
Chariots were built for speed.0:51
Thus, they had to be light and simple in design.0:54
They were drawn by between 2 and 10 horses.0:58
All this made it very dangerous for the drivers.1:01
Races were obviously very exciting then!1:05
Yes, the first driver to complete 7 rounds on the track was the winner.1:08
There were few rules and pretty much anything was allowed.1:14
This gave an illusion of freedom to the masses that loved the races so dearly.1:18
Since anything was allowed, crashes were frequent and quite spectacular.1:23
So a lot of drivers were injured or killed.1:28
Yes, and this danger and all the thrills are what attracted so many Romans to the races.1:31
They were held on religious or public holidays and were attended by hundreds of thousands of people.1:38
Although the races were free to the people, a lot of money was made by gambling on the races.1:45
They were betting on the drivers?1:51
Yes, or the teams they belonged to.1:53
There were different teams that were supported by businesses.1:57
The teams recruited the best drivers who wore the team's colours.2:01
Of course, the best drivers were those quick to avoid collisions and strong enough to last these long races.2:05
But most importantly, drivers needed to control their chariots well.2:12
The drivers were quite talented then.2:18
Yes, they were the sports stars of their day.2:21
Although most of them had short careers, they were hugely popular, and the best of them became celebrities across the empire.2:24
Many started out as slaves, but with the money they earned, they soon bought their freedom.2:32
It sounds like the Romans took their teams and races seriously, just like, let's say, we do football today.2:38
That's right, people were fanatical about their teams.2:45
They would cheer their team on, have big celebrations after wins, and often fight with opposing fans.2:48
Superstition even played a role, as they would place special curse tablets made of lead near the starting area to curse the opposition.2:56
Drivers may have been the stars, but they were often humble after a win and showed little emotion.3:06
Not like today's sports stars who like to do a victory dance after a win.3:13
Heh, no, the charioteers were much more constrained.3:17
Chariot races touched all areas of Roman society.3:22
There was a lot of money being made, and the masses were passionate for the races.3:27
Even the emperors couldn't stay out of the action.3:32
The different teams had a tremendous amount of influence on their fans.3:35
So it made sense for the emperors to keep up with the races and keep an eye on what each team was doing on and off the track.3:39
Once again, another example of how sport influences our lives.3:47
Thank you, Professor Nickerson, for the interesting insights on the once great chariot races.3:51
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