Sources - Chariot Racing

Question 1

Not only was chariot racing one of the competitions in the ancient ____________Games, but it was also one of the most popular (and ________________) sports in the Roman empire

Answer 1

Olympic

Dangerous

Question 2

The Romans are likely to have picked up chariot racing from the _______________

Answer 2

Etruscans

Question 3

Races ere linked to ______________ and were often held in honour of ______________, although ____________ was also included in the processions that took place before races, as he was the God of horses

Answer 3

Honour
Jupiter
Neptune

Question 4

What was the name of the main centre of Chariot Racing in ancient Rome

Answer 4

The Circus Maximus

Question 5

The Circus Maximus was rebuilt by __________ ___________ in around 50 BC to have a length of 650 meters, and a width of 125 meters. Chariots started the race in gates, called __________, staggered at the more open end of the track

Answer 5

Julius Caeser

Carceres

Question 6

The chariots would race around an _______ circuit, with a divide called a __________ in the centre. The host of the race (typically the ____________) would drop a cloth called a _________ at the start of the race, and the gates would open so that no competitor could get an unfair start

Answer 6

Oval
Spina
Emperor
Mappa

Question 7

Chariot racers were dangerous for the competitors. They would often try to push each other crashing into the __________, and there were lots of spectacular crashes against the large ornate columns, called _________, around which the chariots had to turn at each end of the _________. Whereas in racing today there are strict rules, ___________ was common in chariot racing.

Answer 7

Spina
Meta
Spina

Question 8

Each race would last ___________ laps (although this was later reduced to _________)

Answer 8

Seven

Five

Question 9

The laps were counted by taking down metal ____________ or ________ on the spina

Answer 9

Dolphins

Eggs

Question 10

The Circus Maximus could seat over ___________ spectators

Answer 10

250,000

Question 11

Entry was free for the _________, but the ___________ could pay for shaded seats with a better view

Answer 11

Poor

Wealthy

Question 12

The emperor had his own box, called the ____________, which was connected directly to the Imperial palace

Answer 12

Pulvinar

Question 13

Teams represented different ________ individuals and groups, and competed to hire skilled racers. Teams would have fans, who would sometimes __________ with fans of other teams

Answer 13

Rich

Fight

Question 14

On the race track, teams could have up to _____ chariots in a race, and they could cooperate to try to cause opponents to crash or at least take a ___________ route around the race track

Answer 14

3

Worse/poorer

Question 15

Eventually the ___________ started to take over teams and appoint officials to stop the teams being linked to groups of ____________

Answer 15

Emperor

Politicians

Question 16

The most important races used four horses for each chariot (called ____________), although two-horse chariots (_________) were also common, and skilled racers sometimes tried to control up to _____ horses pulling a carriage

Answer 16

Quadrigae
Bigae
10

Question 17

Charioteers (known as __________) were usually __________. The races were so dangerous that the charioteers received a certain amount of celebrity just for _____________

Answer 17

Aurigae
Slaves
Surviving

Question 18

The winners did receive some __________ as a prize and if a driver won enough then they could by ________ ____________

Answer 18

Money

Their freedom

Question 19

One celebrity charioteer was __________ who won _________ races before he died on the race track

Answer 19

Scorpus

2000

Question 20

What did Roman charioteers wear

Answer 20

Leather helmets
Kneepads
Shin pads

Question 21

The charioteers also carried a curved knife called a ________. This was because the drivers wrapped the horses’ reins around their __________ to race meaning that if their chariot crashed, the horses would continue to drag them around the circuit until they cut themselves free.

Answer 21

Falx

Waist

Question 22

What 4 colours would the drivers wear to indicate which team they belonged to?

Answer 22

Red
White
Green
Blue

Question 23

Which 2 teams did Emperor Domition also create

Answer 23

Gold and purple