Roman Circus of Merida

Together with the Theater and the Amphitheater, the Roman Circus was one of the three most powerful recreational spaces in Roman cities. At that time, the three together formed the trilogy of leisure par excellence.

The Roman Circus of Merida is on the outskirts of the Roman city, next to the valley of the Albarregas River, well connected and easily accessible.

Below you will discover a little of its history and you will be surprised by its most interesting facts.

Virtual guide through the Roman Circus

Take a look at this graphic representation of the Roman Circus of Merida and a brief explanation that will help you to get your bearings:

Interesting facts about the Roman Circus of Merida

• Since 1993, the circus has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Archaeological Ensemble of Merida.
• The Roman circus of Merida is the best preserved circus in Hispania and one of the largest in the Roman world.
• The exact date of its construction is still not known (it is said that it began around the year 20 and its inauguration was around the year 50).
• It was constantly being remodeled and updated due to the fame of its competitions and its acceptance by the public.
• The interior of the Roman Circus of Merida is approximately 30,000 square meters. It has a length of 403 meters and a width of 96.50 m. (115 m. if we include the grandstand).
• This circus could accommodate up to 30,000 spectators.
• The separation wall that we see in its center was called spina and measures more than 230 meters. Today, traces of Roman decoration such as sculptures and obelisks can be seen on it.
• In the perimeter grandstand there were two boxes, one for the judges of the spectacle (tribunal iudicium) and another, the presidential, for the authorities and the people who paid for the games.
• The Roman circus of Merida was used longer than the Theater or the Amphitheater, because the Christians were more benevolent with the spectacles of races.
• It was at the Council of Elvira, held in the early 4th century, that horse racing was banned and the decline of the arena began.
• It was not all chariot races. There were also shows of acrobatics or races of athletes.

What was the racing world like?

Around the spina ran the chariots driven by the charioteers. Normally they were two-horse chariots (bigae) or four-horse chariots (quadrigae).

The races were called missus and consisted of seven counterclockwise laps.

Before the start of the race there was a draw to determine the starting place of each faction. The factions were distinguished by colors: white, red, blue and green.

The races began when the organizer of the event, the consul or the magistrate threw a white handkerchief (mappa). Then the madness would break out.

Racing was not a matter of speed, but of strategy. The most effective thing was to hinder the opponent’s progress, even more than having fast horses. Not to mention the fact that they could overturn due to excessive speed.

When a car had an accident, overturned or crashed, it was called “wrecked”.

The charioteer had the horse’s reins hitched to his waist, so in case of shipwreck, he would cut the reins early so as not to be dragged by the chariot and horses.

As with many gladiators, many charioteers and their horses achieved fame among the population.

The winner of the race was given money, gifts and a palm which he proudly showed to the public that had supported him. If the winning charioteer was a slave, he would be granted the longed-for freedom.

Nor can we forget the dark side of the shows. We talk about how spells and poisoning rivals were the daily bread.

We leave you with this short animated video about the Roman circus of Merida starring the character Diocles, a charioteer who really existed and achieved fame until he competed in the Circus Maximus in Rome:

Frequently Asked Questions

More of Merida’s historical heritage