Circus Flaminius - Large Circus in ancient Rome

Circus Flaminius was one of the famous circuses of ancient Rome. It was located at the campus Martius's southern end near the Tiber River (Flaminian Fields). Gaius Flaminius Nepos, a Roman censor, built it in 221 B.C. The circus doesn’t exist now, and where it was today, it is almost completely covered with modern (and relatively modern) buildings.

This circus was 300 meters long and 120 meters in width but had no permanent seating, nor was it used for chariot races like its larger predecessor, Circus Maximus. It had a series of travertine arcades, between which were Doric half-columns. Circus Flaminius was used for Taurian Games, horseback racing around turning posts. These games were held as a way of appeasing the gods of the underworld. Because of that, they were also symbolically grounded – they were always performed at this circus, never changing the place. In the 2nd century BC, the circus was filled with water for the slaughter of 36 crocodiles as a way to commemorate the building of the Forum of Augustus. The entire neighborhood took its name from the circus, and later the whole region was named after the circus name. The circus was close to the center of the city, and because of that, it was a favorite place for holding the people's assemblies and markets. The whole area was famous even before the circus was built. It had six temples (including one to Apollo) and statues of Augustus.

Flaminius Neposwas on the side of the plebs in the Roman Senate and was not too popular. He died in 217 B.C. when Hannibal's forces ambushed him and 15,000 soldiers at Lake Trasimene. The circus was in use until the 4th century, when it was abandoned. Today, on its southern side, is Rome's primary synagogue. On its northeastern corner are ruins of Porticus of Octavia, which show where the circus once stood.