Race of tanks

The races of tanks constitute the Sport high-speed motorboat of the Antiquité. Drawn by one, two, three or four horses, the tanks of competition were driven by auriges which had a statute and returned with the height of their popularity, which was considerable.

Races of tanks in Greece

The races of tanks appear in the program of Olympic Games ancient since -620. Alcibiade, the aurige twice crowned with Olympie in -420 and -416, even left its name to many horses thereafter. With the image of the modern stables, they are the owners of the horses which receive the prices and rewards and not the coachmen and auriges, Olympic Games included.

Races of tanks in Rome

The race of tanks is without question “the” sport king par excellence with Rome during one millenium. The attachment S were horses and the competitors of the professionals. They belonged to teams ( factiones ) of which each one raised different colors. These races were practiced in circus S.

The circuses

The circuses are imposing buildings dedicated to the races of tanks. Most famous of them, the Circus Maximus of Rome, could accommodate to 300.000 spectators. With the image of Rome which obtains such an enclosure as of 500 av. J. - C., many cities of the Roman world also have such enclosures.

For North Africa, the city are Auzia, Caesarea, Carthage, Cyrène, Hadrumète, Leptis Magna, Sitifis, Thugga, Thydrus and Utica; for Egypt: Alexandria, Antinoé (Antinoupolis), Hermopolis Magna, Memphis and Oxyrhynchus (Oxyrhynque); for Hispanie: Calagurris (Calahorra), Corduba (Cordoue), Emerita Augusta (Mérida), Italica, Mirobriga Celticorum, Olissipo (Lisbon), Saguntum (Sagonte), Tarraco (Tarragone), Toletum (Tolède), Valentia Edetanorum (Valence) and Zafra; for Gaulle: Arausio (Orange), Arelate (Arles), Augusta Treverorum (Trier), Lugdunum (Lyon), Mediolanum Santonum (Sintes), Nemausus (Nimes) and Vienna (Vienna); for the East: Antioche (Syria), Anazarbus, Bosra (Syria), Caeasrea Maritima (Césarée), Byzance (Constantinople), Laodicé (Syria), Nicomédia (Lebanon) and Tyr (Lebanon).

Those of Carthage and Byzance are most imposing out of Rome, Circus Maximus making 600 m length and 200 m of width.

It is advisable not to confuse the concept of circus ( Hippodrome for the Romans) with that of Amphithéâtre , intended in particular for the combat of Gladiateur S and other spectacles.

Components of a circus

the track: it is variable length according to the circuses, and made up of several layers of sufficiently hard materials to resist the repeated passages of the tanks. On the surface a layer of sand or of ground is widespread.

the spina and its shelters: It is a longitudinal low wall and an insuperable obstacle between the track outward journey and the track return and that it was thus necessary to circumvent. It was used as support with many shelters having either a simple decorative function and symbolic system, or a true role in the course of the race (buildings to eggs and the dolphins allowing the counting of the solo circuits). Sculptures of athletes and animals, houses resembling small round temples, the medium an obelisk (solar and royal symbol) and basins containing a water reserve useful for the cooling of the attachments: assistances placed on the track drew water there in order to sprinkle the horses and the coachmen in full action. At each end a terminal (meta) rose including/understanding 3 cones posed on a semicircular podium.

carceres: Starting stalls 12. Each one of them was sufficiently roomy to place an attachment and a stable boy charged to hold the guides to the opening of the doors, which light and consisted of 2 openwork leaves out of wooden; a clever mechanism using of the cords allowed the simultaneous opening of the 12 doors. In the center, separating the stalls in 2 equal groups, was carried it pompae for the solemn entry of the inaugural processions and above which the cabin was held of departure (editoris court) reserved with the organizing magistrate and president of the plays.

Stables

The races of tanks include/understand a limited number of stables defined by a color: The reds (in Latin russata ), the blue ones (in Latin veneta ), the white (in Latin albata ) and the greens (in Latin prasina ) are most famous. Each one of these 4 teams was represented by 3 things:

an element (water, fire, etc)
a god
and a season

Other stables tried their chance, but remained largely in withdrawal compared to the four large ones.

These stables which evolved/moved in particular with the Circus Maximus of Rome, had local counterparts through all the empire. The Roman stables are not organized at all as in Greece. They are true clubs, with the current direction of the term. Thus, the “owners” of horses do not exist; it is the “club” which fulfills this function. They are the auriges and the horses which are the high-speed motorboats of the races of tanks to the Roman and which receive all the prices and rewards. There do not exist races assembled to Rome.

Actors and employees of the circus

Beside the coachmen, various characters evolved/moved on the track of the circus, in the slides of the circus like in the steps of the circus. They are divided into four categories: employees of the circus, employees attached to a faction, sporting actors and the merchant.

Among the employees attached to a faction is the hortatores , the sparsores , the conditores , the doctors, the veterinary surgeons and various craftsmen.

Among the sporting actors, apart from the aurigae (conducting of biges) and of the agitatores (conducting of quadrigae), there were cursores .

Among the employees of the circus, there were musicians, judges, employees with the handling of the rev counters, frames which were drawn up on the spina .

In the steps déanbulaient merchants who sold to the spectators their products: drinks, pork-butchery, pastry making, etc

The Aurige S

Most famous of the Roman auriges is Gaius Appuleius Diocles (104 - 146). In 24 years of career, this “Hispanus lusitanus” takes part in 4.257 races for 1.462 victories. Put aside Diocles, let us quote Publius Aelius Gutta Calpurnianus (1.127 victories), Flavius Scorpus (2.048 victories), Marcus Aurelius Liber (3.000 victories), Pompeius Muscosus (3.559 victories), Crescens, Musclosus (1.361 victories), Hylas, Urbicus, Carisia Nesis Scirtus, Scorpianus (700 victories), the brothers Marcus Aurelius Polynice and Marcus Aurelius Mollicius Tatianus, Cl. Aurelius Polyphemus, Eutymus, Sex. Vistilius Helenus and Flavius Scorpus account more than 2.000 victories when it finds death at 26 years in race; it is consequently the object of an authentic worship in Rome and in all the empire.

Calendar

The calendar of the races evolves/moves in time with a multiplication of the races. Before even the reign of Tarquin Old the, the Roman Plays of the Ludi Taurei and Ludi sæculares included/understood in particular races of tanks. Tarquin the Old one initiates the creation of the Ludi magni or Romani in 500 before J. - C. with races of tanks to the program.

After the Punic Wars, it is the multiplication of the Ludi : Ludi megalenses annual, Ludi floral annual and Appolinaires Plays annual, for example. New inflation of Ludi under the Empire: One passes indeed from 76 days of annual plays at the end of the Republic to 175 in the middle of IVe century. 64 days were devoted to the races of tanks with 24 races per day. In addition to this calendar " officiel" , there existed many races of less importance.

Races of tanks with Byzance

The Byzantine empire perpetuates many Roman traditions, the first of which, races of tanks. Built between 203 and 223, the hippodrome of Byzance can accommodate more than 100.000 spectators after enlarging as of 330.

These races start a very Roman passion, causing even dramas that Rome had known to avoid. The massacre of Nika involves the death of 80.000 supporters… The January 13rd 532, riot with Byzance after the cancellation of the races of the day to the hippodrome. The supporters of the two traditionally rival stables (Green and Blue) indeed unanimously expressed their hostility towards the Justinien emperor as of his arrival in platform! This movement of mood was in fact radio-controlled by political reasons. The supporters reflect the city with bag during five days while the emperor prepared his escape… Justinien renonça finally to be fled and ordered the massacre of the dissatisfied ones; 40.000 dead, including more than 35.000 Greens and several hundreds the Blue ones. This tragedy is known under the name “of Sédition Nika” because of the cry “ Nika! Nika! ” (“Gains! gain! ”) that stressed the supporters races of tanks. The faction of the Greens is destroyed, but is reformed well quickly…

The April 12th 1204 mark an important date for Byzance and the races of tanks. At the time of the fourth crusade, Byzance (Constantinople) falls to the hands from Latin; it is the end of the races of tanks… Latin plunder the city and Venice in particular made control on the famous bronze quadriga gilded of the hippodrome of Byzance which decorates since the Saint-Marc place. To note that these races had been declining for one half-century with Byzance. The Hippodrome, badly maintained, is even partially destroyed in a large fire. In 1261 Byzance is taken again by the Greeks, but the Hippodrome, half destroyed, does not allow the resumption of the races of tanks. The end of the sumptuous sporting programs and the ceaseless setting under seat of the city until the catch by the Turks give the Byzantines, from now on “people without entertainments”, an austere mood and a major sadness.

See too

Hippodrome of Constantinople

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