Hippodrome

A hippodrome was an ancient Greek and Roman stadium designed specifically for chariot and horse racing. Similar to how modern racetracks host horse races, hippodromes featured a large oval circuit with a central barrier called the spina, around which chariots raced at high speeds. They served as major public entertainment venues, often intricate and grand in scale, showcasing both athletic skill and technological innovation of the time. Some famous examples include the Circus Maximus in Rome and the Hippodrome in Constantinople, highlighting their cultural and social importance in ancient urban life.