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Height: 20.500 cm
Length: 25.500 cm
GR 1894.10-30.1 (Bronze 2695)
Room 69: Greek and Roman life
Chariot-racing in ancient Rome
Bronze model of a biga (2-horse chariot)
Alhough the figure of the charioteer and one of the horses are missing, this model is probably the best representation we have of a Roman racing chariot (currus circensis). Built for speed, the biga had a light but strong frame made of bent pieces of wood strapped together. The small wheels and low centre-of-gravity meant that it was both manoeuvrable and stable.
It has been estimated that the weight of a Roman racing chariot was 25-30 kg. Racing straight along the long side of the track, they may have reached speeds of up to 75 kph, but they had to slow down around the turning posts (metae), probably to around 25-30 kph, to avoid overturning. It has been estimated that the overall duration of a race would have been around 8 to 9 minutes.