Circus of Caligula and Néron

The Circus of Caligula and Néron ( Circus of Néron , Gaianum or Circus of the Vatican ; Circus Vaticanus ) was located between the Mont Janicule and the Mont the Vatican, with the periphery of Rome, in the Plaine vaticane, along the Via Cornelia .

History

Construction

Its construction began under the reign from Caligula at the 1st century from our era, towards 40 a. J. - C., in its gardens of the the Vatican: property of his/her mother Agrippine on the ager Vaticanus , from where the name of Circus of the Vatican ( Circus Vaticanus ).

It was finished by Néron, from where the name of Cirque of Caligula and Néron .

The first persecutions of the Christians

See also: Persecution of Néron

Under the reign of Néron, in 65 a. J. - C., the circus was the framework of the first Martyr S Christians with Rome, of which that of Saint Pierre in 67 a. J. - C. According to Tacite, shown to be at the origin of the large fire of Rome, the Christian spectators were martyrisés there: covers of skins of animals, (they) perished devoured by dogs; others died on crosses, or they were coated inflammable materials, and, when the day ceased shining, one burned them in place of torches .

Died of Saint Pierre

See also: Pierre (apostle)

An unmemorable tradition reports that the Crucifixion of the apostle Pierre, took place inter duas metas - between the two metas - i.e. with the foot of the obelisk. It was buried in a cemetery, outside the circus, with the foot of the mount the Vatican.

Closing then destruction

Vespasien, one of the successors of Néron, wanting to make forget the memory of its predecessor, closed the circus of Néron.

This last fell in ruin until this Constantin Ier made destroy the last remainders to build the first basilica constantinienne with the site of the burial of Saint Pierre, starting from 324 a. J. - C.

Today

See also: Basilica Saint-Pierre, Place Saint-Pierre

With the XVe century, the monument built by Constantin Ier threat to fall in ruin, and the popes decide to shave it to build new: the Basilica Saint-Pierre.

The basilica and the Place Saint-Pierre thus are mainly built on the old site of the Circus Vaticanus , always with the site of the burial of Saint Pierre.

Structure

See also: Obelisk of the Vatican, Roman Circus

It was approximately 280 meters long and 90 meters broad.

The spina was decorated in its medium with a Obélisque that Caligula had made transport to Rome in 37 a. J. - C. on " most admirable of all the buildings which one ever saw on the mers" .

In 1586, the pope Sixth-Quint made it move by Domenico Fontana on the Place Saint-Pierre with the the Vatican.

Travels of the tanks

See also: Race of tanks

The Circus Vaticanus , like all the Roman circuses, was primarily reserved for the races of tanks which impassioned the Romans, each part adopting the colors of a crew.

From six cells, carceres , escaped from two to six crews carried out by coachmen, aurigæ - Aurige S - who left on their left the central edge, the Spina , to achieve several turns. The end of the spina was marked at the two ends by the metæ .

The original crews were the white ( albata ) and the reds ( russata ), to which soon the blue ones were added ( veneta ) and the greens ( prasina ) and, to finish, under Domitien, the crimsons and gilded with the transitory existence. The red and blue were the colors of the Roman Sénat and the nobility, the white and the green, those of the people.

The races gave place to the sharp passions outburst between the factions of fautores (supporters) and it was not rare that they finish in riots. The auriges, initially of the slaves or the freed , were recruited sometimes among the citizens, sometimes even of the senators, even of the emperors, so much the prestige of the winners was large. Thus, the emperor Néron did not balk to contribute, covering for the occasion the colors of the people.

Sources

  • Tacit, Yearly , Delivers XV.44

  • Article “ Cirque ” of the Encyclopédie or reasoned Dictionary of sciences, arts and the trades of Diderot and D' Alembert
  • Rodolfo Lanciani, Pagan and Christian Rome
  • André Thévenet, the races of tanks in Rome and Byzance , in Historia n°304, 1977

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