Historical Evolution of sports Historical Evolucion of sports researchpdf | Page 14

Animal shows were also popular with the Romans, where foreign animals were
either displayed for the public or combined with gladiatorial combat. A prisoner
or gladiator, armed or unarmed, was thrown into the arena and an animal was
released.
Circus Maximus
The Circus Maximus, another popular site in Rome, was primarily used for horse
and chariot racing, and when the Circus was flooded, there could be sea battles.
It was also used for many other events. The Circus could hold up to 385,000
people; people all over Rome would visit it. Two temples, one with seven large
eggs and one with seven dolphins, lay in the middle of the track of Circus
Maximus, and when the racers made a lap, one of each would be removed. This
was done to keep the spectators and the racers informed of the race statistics.
Other than for sports, the Circus Maximus was also an area of marketing and
gambling. Higher authorities, such as the Emperor, also attended games in the
Circus Maximus, as it was considered rude to avoid attendance. The higher
authorities, knights, and many other people who were involved with the race,
sat in reserved seats located above everyone else. It was also considered
inappropriate for emperors to favour a team. The Circus Maximus was created in
600 BC and hosted the last horse-racing game in 549 AD, after a custom
enduring over a millennium.
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF SPORTS
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