Circus of Antioch
The Circus of Antioch was a hippodrome in Antioch, in present-day Turkey. Used for chariot racing, it was modelled on the Circus Maximus in Rome and other circus buildings throughout the Roman Empire.
Characteristics
The Circus, measuring more than 490 m in length and 30 m of width,[1] was similar to the Hippodrome of Berytus.
The circus could house up to 80,000 spectators.
History
There is no consensus about the circus' dating, as it was built and used for several years before its official dedication. It seems to have been built sometime around 50 BCE.
By the late seventh century CE, it had become decrepit and was replaced by a new arena located nearby (less than 1/5 of a mile to the north); the new arena was called “Hippodrome B” or the “Palestra.”[2]
See also
- List of Roman circuses
- Hippodrome – a Greek arena also used for chariot racing
References
- John Humphrey (13 February 1986). Roman Circuses: Arenas for Charioteers. University of California Press. pp. 446–. ISBN 978-0-520-04921-5. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- Andrea U. De Georgi; A. Asa Eger (May 31, 2021). Antioch: A History. Routledge. p. 218. ISBN 9781138845244. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
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