tour 6 of 10
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.