The Roman circus of Mérida ( es, Circo romano) is a ruined
Roman circus in
Mérida,
Spain. Used for
chariot racing, it was modelled on the
Circus Maximus in
Rome and other circus buildings throughout the Empire. Measuring more than 400 m in length and 30 m of width, it is one of the best preserved examples of Roman circus. It could house up to 30,000 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 20 BC and inaugurated some 30 years later. It was located far outside the city walls, but close to the road that connected the city to
Toledo
Toledo most commonly refers to:
* Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain
* Province of Toledo, Spain
* Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States
Toledo may also refer to:
Places Belize
* Toledo District
* Toledo Settlement
Bolivia
* Toledo, Orur ...
and
Córdoba.
After the
fall of the Western Roman Empire and the rise of
Christianity in Spain, the circus saw more use than the other Roman structures of Mérida, since racing was considered less sinful than spectacles performed in the
Theatre and the
Amphitheatre.
Modern status
Mérida's circus remains very well preserved. As is true with the
Circus Maximus, most circuses's structures have been destroyed over time as the area occupied by them was great and often in very flat land near their respective cities. The Mérida circus however has kept numerous structures, including the ''Porta Pompae'' ("main entrance"), the ''Porta Triumphalis''
[Mihailuk, Andre, ''Porta triumphalis'', in "Mapping the Roman Triumphal procession", 201]
accessed 2022-11-17 ("triumph gate"), the ''spina'' (the longitudinal wall), the ''tribunal iudicium'' ("tribune of the judges").
A museum dedicated to the circus now sits near the middle edge of the circus grounds and it allows admittance into the fenced area around the circus remains.
See also
*
Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsca ...
*
Hippodrome – a Greek arena also used for chariot racing
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roman circus of Merida
Mérida
Circus of Mérida
Buildings and structures in Mérida, Spain
History of Extremadura
Buildings and structures completed in the 1st century BC
1st-century BC establishments in the Roman Republic
20 BC establishments
Tourist attractions in Extremadura