stage 33 Culture Flashcards
meaning of defixiones
Fans of chariot races would try to hurt their opponents by making defixiones (cursed tablets)
meaning of factiones
The teams that were racing were called factiones. There were four factiones: whites, reds, blues, and greens (plus purple and gold when Domitian was emperor).
meaning of mappa
A mappa, or napkin, was dropped by the presiding magistrate to indicate the beginning of the race.
meaning of spina
The spina was the central platform where seven eggs were lifted and dropped one by one to show how many laps each charioteer had raced.
meaning of meta
The meta was the turning point (bend) in the race track which required skill to be able to race on at the right speed.
What was the usual program for a day at the races?
There were usually 24 races per day. Each race consisted of 7 laps and took around 15 minutes to complete.
Describe the method of racing, the art of the charioteer, and the danger involved in such races.
The charioteer raced as fast as they could down the sides of the circus. At the meta (turning point) they could not go too slow (they would be overtaken) or too fast (they could crash).
The charioteer had a knife in order to cut themselves free from the reins if they crashed.
meaning of munera
Munera were gladiatorial shows that upper class Romans could pay for in addition to ludi.
meaning of ventiones
exotic animal fights
meaning of naumachiae
naval battles
What did the various forms of entertainment offer to the many people living in Rome?
They allowed people to see and be seen with other important people, and they allowed all Romans to celebrate Rome and its history and power. Other types of entertainment could be found at private dinner parties for wealthy Romans.
