Chariot races eventually became features of non-religious celebrations and popular events in their own right. There is also evidence suggesting that races also had a role in certain religious festivals. Like other peoples, it is likely that the Romans first began racing as part of burial rites. The Romans appear to have begun outfitting chariots for races beginning in the sixth century BCE. The favored place that chariot racing found with the early Romans no doubt owes much to the close relationship between them and their Greek and Etruscan neighbors. Moreover, depictions of chariots and racing have been found on Etruscan pottery, in metalwork, and in stone. The Etruscans, given the evidence of their tombs, were just as passionate about racing. In Italy, Greek colonists were not the only chariot enthusiasts. From as early as the Olympic Games, chariot racing remained a crowd-pleaser. While burial practices and rites changed, the Greeks never abandoned their love of the chariot. The most well-known example of that funerary custom is found in Homer's Iliad, which includes a chariot race in honor of the dead hero Patroclus. The chariot played a role in the funerals of many Indo-European peoples, including the early Celts, whose chariot burials have been unearthed both in England and on the Continent. The earliest depiction of the chariot is on a 13th-century-BCE amphora from the Mycenaean city of Tiryns detailing a funerary scene. Most scholars believe that chariot sports followed the use of the chariot for travel and war. Like the origins of the two-wheeled conveyance itself, the date of the first chariot race is largely a matter of conjecture. The Etruscans, however, were also fond of chariots, so it is possible that the Greek and Etruscan example led to later Roman traditions of charioteering. Greek influence in Italy was strong and thus may explain the existence of chariots among the Latin peoples. About the same time, the chariot was used in India and significantly in Mycenaean Greece. To date, literary and physical evidence suggests that the Egyptians and the societies of the Near East were among the first to use chariots around 2000 to 1000 BCE. Historians and archaeologists believe that the chariot, and very likely the domestication of horses, originated in what is present-day eastern Turkey. Not surprisingly, the popular nature of the races lent a particular kind of power to the fans and an influence great enough to periodically affect the cultural and political life of Roman and Byzantine society. Wherever the Romans went, chariot racing went, as evidenced by the tracks in North Africa, England, and elsewhere. The sport connected members of society from widely different backgrounds, cultures, and ranks. Most likely originating with pre-Roman funeral games, chariot races quickly became not only a way to honor the dead but also an opportunity to enjoy the breakneck speed and danger of racing, the skill of man and horse, and the company of friends and fellow enthusiasts. The sport lost its popularity after the fall of Rome and the Nika riots.Few forms of entertainment among the Romans enjoyed the extent of popular devotion or the longevity that chariot racing did. Olive oil, bronze, silver, and even corn were given out as prizes. The chariot would topple over as other teams raced past, crashing the rider in the event.Īncient Greek chariot races were also held during festivals mostly for public entertainment. Extremely sharp and dangerous, these turns would turn lethal for many riders. The most dangerous part of these races was the turns. The ride was not a smooth one, what with only an axle supporting the entire cart. War chariot was modified and made use of in these races. The Chariots in ancient Greece:Ĭhariots were basically wood carts with open back and two wheels. However, Spartan Cynisca who was the daughter Archidamus II is known to have been a winner twice. Women were neither allowed to watch nor participate in the ancient Greece chariot races. This prevented them from getting hurt and kept away dust.
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Xyztis, a sleeved garment up to the knees tied with a belt at the waist was worn by them. The charioteers did not race naked, unlike in other events. Mostly young and light weighted teenage boys were chosen. Some say they could also be their slaves or even hired professionals. The charioteers are believed to be the family members of the owners.