Chariot Research
For my Latin project, I researched the topic of chariots due to gladiators being chosen by many others. After doing my research, I got pretty interested in chariot racing. The chariot is a vehicle that has two wheels, an area to stand, and is usually pulled by two horses.
This invention was created around 2500 B.C by the Sumerians and Mesopotamians. Chariot racing, like gladiator fights, were a form of bread and circus (entertainment). They were usually held in large arenas like the Circus Maximus which could hold up to 200,000 people and was large enough to fit 12 chariots. Chariot racers usually were slaves or freedmen and the racers could get injured by falling off the chariot or the chariot breaking.
Chariot races were usually held on festivals/events. Racecar/Nascar tracks are much like chariot arenas, two parallel sides and two curved sides. The sport had at least four different teams, red, white, blue, and green. The fans of this sport are also much like enthusiastic fans these days, they usually threatened each other and made "cursed" tablets to scare each other. Though it was much liked, most higher class did not like chariot racing. Emperor Nero was one of the few high classmen who enjoyed it, he enjoyed it so much that he got his own chariot and horses. But besides the entertaining part of chariots, chariots were also used in combat, with usually two riders and one to four horses. In combat, the wheels often had blades attached to the hub cap area. Modern day, there are still takes of chariot racing. Racecar driving is somewhat similar to chariot racing, or the track is, they have ostrich races where ostrich pull the chariot as entertainment which can be found here, and a take where it is basically biking. Overall, I enjoyed researching chariots, so I made my own little chariot pulled by a dog, and a short story on a Roman adapting the chariot to the winter snow. (Can be found above Short Story)Sources: "Gladiators, Chariots, and the Roman Games." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2014.
"Roman Chariots." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.
"Ancient Roman Chariot Races." Ancient Roman Chariot Races. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.
Heli, Richard M. "Ancient Roman Holidays & Festivals at The Detective & the Toga." Ancient Roman Holidays & Festivals at The Detective & the Toga. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.
Macdonald, Fiona, and Richard Tames. 100 Things You Should Know about Ancient Rome. Bromall, PA: Mason Crest, 2003. Print.
Circus Maximus
I like this project a lot but one detail on your post confused me. When you say they were used in combat, do you mean that they were used when fighting other chariots for entertainment or were used by the Roman military if fighting on flat ground?
ReplyDeleteI thought your project was very nicely written and researched. Also, your product is funny and creative and very interesting.
ReplyDeleteWell done, the research is clear and the application of your research to your project is great. And nice dog :)
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