hippodromeArticle Free Pass hippodrome, ancient Greek stadium
designed for horse racing and especially chariot racing. Its
Roman counterpart was called a circus and is best represented by
the Circus Maximus. The typical hippodrome was dug into a
hillside and the excavated material used to construct an
embankment for supporting seats on the opposite side. In shape
the hippodrome was oblong, with one end semicircular and the
other square; it thus resembled a U with a closed top. Seats ran
in tiers the length of the arena and along the curve, while at
the straight end dignitaries occupied seats above the arena’s
offices. A low wall called a spina ran most of the length of the
stadium and divided the course. The spina was decorated with
monuments and had sculptures that could be tilted or removed to
keep spectators informed of the laps completed by the racers.
Because as many as 10 chariots raced at one time, the breadth of
the course was sometimes as much as 400 feet (120 m); the length
was about 600 to 700 feet