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From Greece to Roma

The origins

The first stadium therefore originated in the VIII Century BC around a rudimentary athletics track shaped as an elongated "U". Starting and finish line were at the two ends and there was one only 192 m long and 32 m wide track. A stone stand with two separate entrances for judges and for spectators, who could therefore watch the athletes' efforts and cheer them throughout the competition, was built along the track. The also elongated-U-shaped stand ran along the three sides of the track, two rectilinear and one bended, on the other side opening onto the surrounding landscape. Olympia stadium, which was extended as the Games became popular in the whole ancient Greece, could welcome up to 45,000 spectators.

As sport became more popular, stadia were built in many Greek towns alongside with hippodromes. These had similar characteristics and dimensions but they were used for horse and chariot racing. These sports facilities soon started to play key roles within the "polis". There are still vestiges in Delphi, Ephesus and most of all in Athens, where in 331 BC Panathenaic stadium was built. It was then rebuilt for the first modern Olympic Games of 1896 and was recently renovated for the Olympic Games of Athens 2004.

From an architectural viewpoint, with its partially open structure and its plan, shaped as an elongated "U", the stadium, which is built sometimes by excavating tiers along a slope and other times by building them at a certain height on a level ground, is the meeting point between the two great typological models of the Greek and Roman world, which are also public facilities but used for performances: theatre and amphitheatre.

The former, which developed in Greece starting from the VI century BC, was made up of the succession of three basic cores, cavea, orchestra and scene. The cavea tiers were arranged on a natural slope in a semicircular configuration towards the scene, the site of the performance, and beyond also towards the surrounding landscape, which therefore turned into an integral part of the scene and as a consequence of the theatre itself. Epidaurus theatre, giving onto Peloponnesus mountains, and the Hellenistic Taormina theatre, giving onto Etna, are famous examples.

The amphitheatre was built during the Roman age starting from the first century BC in contrast to the Greek model, from which it differed due to its most urban nature. Tiers were built on an elevated level often with superimposed rows. The elliptical layout fully encompassed the amphitheatre and spectators could focus only on the arena, the central area for the cruel gladiators' fights or for naumachia. Besides, unlike those in the theatre stands were often screened by a curtain screen made up of cloths actuated by ropes. Arles amphitheatre, Verona Arena and of course Flavian Amphitheatre, the Colosseum, are the most important and best preserved examples.

From Greece to Roma

In parallel with the transition from theatre to amphitheatre, the tradition of sports facilities moved from Greece to the Roman world with the birth of circus, the typological evolution of the prototypes of stadium and of hippodrome, between the II and the I century BC.



The circus concerned equestrian sports and drew the elongate "U" shape from the previous models but it differed from them as its fourth side was closed by buildings. Spectators' tiers were arranged on a natural slope and their lower part was made of stone. Upper tiers were built at a certain height and were usually made of wood. The sometimes monumental buildings on the fourth side included the horses' starting stalls marking the boundary of a further side of the track. The course was continuous and races on more laps could therefore take place. The two long sides of the track were separated by a low central balustrade decorated with statuary. Two pillars at its ends indicated the "metae", the turning posts for the horses.

Circuses were usually built around the walls and adjacent to the imperial palace, in order to ensure direct access for the emperor and his court. Due to their positions, these large open spaces were sometimes used for some more public activities as well, thus turning into an integral part of the city life.

Circus Maximums, built in the first century BC in Roma, is the best-known example of this typology. Its main characteristics were its large dimensions and its capacity. It was over 600 m long and 200 m wide and its tiers, built along the two long sides and one short side, could welcome about 200,000 spectators. The stands covered three levels, behind which there was an external façade with three superimposed rows. The lowest row was provided with large arcades used by the spectators reaching the facility and streaming out of it.

The arcades also featured workshops opening onto the outside. Thanks to its location, near the Tiber, it could be filled with the river waters and as a consequence Circus Maximus could be also used for naumachia shows.

One of the best preserved circuses is the Circus of Maxentius in Roma, and Constantinople Circus is also a famous example. It was built in the IV century AD together with the other large buildings of the new capital of the Roman Empire. However by the time it was built circuses were no more serving their original purpose, that is hosting equestrian events, but they were rather used for other public activities.


Date: 2016-03-03; view: 723


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