The
Circus Flaminius was a large, circular area of land in
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated municipality , with over 2.7 million residents in , while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 3.46 million. The metropolitan area of Rome is estimated by OECD to have a population of 3.7 million...
that contained a small race-track reserved for mysterious games, and various other buildings and monuments. It was located in the southern end of the
Campus MartiusThe Campus Martius , was a publicly owned area of ancient Rome about in extent. In the Middle Ages it was the most populous area of Rome...
, near the Tiber River. It was ‘built,’ or sectioned off by
Flaminius NeposGaius Flaminius Nepos was a politician and consul of the Roman Republic in the 3rd century BC. He was the greatest popular leader to challenge the authority of the Senate before the Gracchi a century later....
in
221 BC-Carthage:* The Carthaginian general Hasdrubal is murdered by a Celtic assassin while campaigning to increase the Carthaginian hold on Spain. Following the assassination of Hasdrubal, Hannibal, the son of the Carthaginian general, Hamilcar Barca, is proclaimed commander-in-chief by the army and his...
. In its early existence, the Circus was a loop, approximately 500 m in length stretching across the Flaminian Fields. During the 2nd century B.C., this broad space was encroached upon by buildings and monuments. By the early 3rd century A.D., the only open space that remained was a small piazza in the center, no more than 300m long, where the Ludi (public games) were held. The Circus was abandoned toward the end of first century AD.
The Circus Flaminius was never meant to rival the much larger
Circus MaximusThe Circus Maximus is an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium and mass entertainment venue located in Rome. Situated in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest Chariot Racing Stadium in ancient Rome...
, and unlike the Maximus, it was not just an entertainment venue. Assemblies, for instance, were often held inside. It was also used as a market. In 2 B.C., the circus was flooded for the slaughter of 36 crocodiles to commemorate the building of the
Forum of AugustusThe Forum of Augustus is one of the Imperial forums of Rome, built by Augustus. It includes the Temple of Mars Ultor.-History:Augustus vowed to build a temple honoring Mars, the Roman God of war, during the battle of Philippi in 42 BC. After winning the battle, with the help of Mark Antony,...
. In AD 9
AugustusGaius Julius Caesar Augustus was the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in AD 14.
[These are the contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian after 45 BC...]
delivered the Laudatio of Drusus here. The circus lacked permanent seating, nor were there any permanent structures around the perimeter of the race track.
There is debate as to whether or not the Circus Flaminius was used for chariot racing.
StraboStrabo was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born in a wealthy family from Amaseia in Pontus , which had recently become part of the Roman Empire.. He studied under various geographers and philosophers; first in Nysa, later in Rome...
makes no mention of equestrian activities taking place.
Valerius MaximusValerius Maximus was a Latin writer and author of a collection of historical anecdotes. He flourished in the reign of Tiberius.-Personal History of Valerius Maximus:...
claims that the Ludi Plebeii (Plebeian Games) were held inside, but other sources deny this. Livy, Varro and Antoninus Pius, however, have records of some form of Ludi being held within the circus, most likely the Ludi Taurii, games held in honor of the Gods of the Underworld. These mysterious games were only held in the Circus Flaminius, suggesting they were symbolically tied to the building itself, and thus could not be moved to a different circus. These were horse, not chariot, races with one rider and his horse going around the turning posts.
In the vicinity of the circus (“in circo Flaminio”) were many structures. The Temple of Pietas lay on the edge of the
Forum HolitoriumThe Forum Holitorium was the vegetables, herbs and oil forum venalium of early ancient Rome, by the Tiber at the foot of the Capitoline and Palatine hills...
to the southeast. The Temple of Mars was situated in the northwest. By 220 B.C., there were possibly six temples, including one to
ApolloIn Greek and Roman mythology, Apollo , is one of the most important and many-sided of the Olympian deities...
, standing in Flaminian Fields. In AD 15, statues to the deified Augustus were erected, dedicated by C. Norbanus Flaccus. Also inside was the
Porticus OctaviaeThe Porticus Octaviae is an ancient structure in Rome.Built by Augustus in the name of his sister, Octavia Minor, at some time after 27 BC, in place of the Porticus Metelli, the porticus enclosed within its colonnaded walks the temples of Jupiter Stator and Juno Regina, next to the Theater of...
. The entrance to the piazza was marked by one of three large marble arches erected in honor of
GermanicusGermanicus Julius Caesar was a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty of the early Roman Empire. He was born in Lugdunum, Gaul . At birth he was named either Nero Claudius Drusus after his father or Tiberius Claudius Nero after his uncle...
, engraved with records of his military conquests. To the east was the
Theatre of MarcellusThe Theatre of Marcellus is an ancient theatre built just before the Roman Empire. Its ancient edifice in the rione of Sant'Angelo, Rome, provides one of the city's many popular spectacles or tourist sites. It was named after Marcus Marcellus, Emperor Augustus's nephew and who died five years...
.