Rome’s chariot racing arena, the Circus Maximus, was 500 m long and could hold up to 250,000 people. There was no seating division based on social status or gender. Four teams (red, white, blue and green) would race in chariots pulled by teams of two, four or six horses. They raced around the track seven times at incredibly high speeds. It was a very dangerous sport and there were often crashes that killed men and horses. Gambling on the races was a popular activity.
Painting of a chariot race
The Circus Maximus today
Roman theatre
Most Roman towns also had a theatre. These were large semi- circular buildings with stone seats for the audience, who were not separated by gender or social status. Tragedy and comedy plays were both very popular with the Romans, with subjects ranging from stories about the gods and heroes to everyday life events. The actors were all male and wore masks while performing.
