in antiquity, a large building, either round or oval, used for the exhibiting of shows to the people. Some derive the word from Circe, to whom Tertullian attributes the invention. Caiiodorus says, Circus comes a circuici. The Romans, Servius observes, at first had no other circus but that made by the Tiber on one side, and a palisade of naked swords on the other. Hence, according to Isidore, came the term ludi circenses, quasi circum enses. But Scaliger ridicules that etymology.

The Roman circus was a large oblong edifice, arch-ed at one end, encompassed with porticoes, and furnished with rows of seats, placed ascending over each other. In the middle was a kind of foot-bank, or eminence, with obelisks, statues, and pools at each end. This served them for the courses of their bigae and quadrigae. There were no less than ten circuses at Rome: The largest was built by the elder Tarquin, called Circus Maximus, between the Aventine and Palatine mounts. It was so called, either because of its vast circumference, or because the great games were celebrated in it; or again, because it was consecrated to the great gods, viz. to Vertumnus, Neptune, Jupiter, Juno, Minerva, and the Dii Penates of Rome. Dionysius Halicarnassensis says that it was three stadia and a half in length, and four jugera broad; and these measures, according to Pliny, allowing to the Roman Circus, stadia 625 Roman feet, each of which is twelve inches, will give for the length, 2187 Roman feet, or somewhat more than three English furlongs: and as to the breadth, allowing for each of the jugera 240 Roman feet, it will be 960 Roman feet. It was beautified and enlarged by the Roman emperors, so as to seat 250,000 spectators. The most magnificent circuses were those of Augustus and Nero. There are still some remains of the circuses at Rome, at Nîmes, and other places. The Romans were excessively fond of the games exhibited in the circus: witness that verse in Juvenal,

Atque duas tantum res anxius optat, Panem et circenses.

The Games of the Circus, which some call the Cirensian Games, were combats celebrated in the circus, in honour of Confus the god of councils; and thence also called Confusia. They were also called Roman Games, Ludi Romani, either on account of their antiquity, as being dear to the Roman people, or because established by the Romans; and the games held there, the great games, ludi magni, because celebrated with more expense and magnificence than others; and because held in honour of the great god Neptune, who was their Confus.—Those who say they were instituted in honour of the sun, confound the pompa circensis, or procession of the circus, with the games.

The games of the circus were instituted by Evander, and re-established by Romulus: the pomp, or procession, was only a part of the games, making the prelude thereof, and consisting of a simple cavalcade of chariots. Till the time of the elder Tarquin, they were held in an island of the Tiber; and were called Roman Games: after that prince had built the circus, they took their name therefrom, as being constantly held there. There were six kinds of exercises in the circus: the first was wrestling, and fighting with swords, with staves, and with pikes; the second was racing; the third, saltatio, leaping; the fourth, duci, quoits, arrows, and cestus; all which were on foot: the fifth was horse-courfing; the sixth, courses of chariots, whether with two horses or with four. In this last exercise, the combatants were at first divided into two quadrans or quadrils; then into four; each bearing the names of the colours they wore; facio alba, rufa, &c. At first there were only white and red; then green and blue were added. Domitian added two more colours, but they did not continue. It was Oenomaus who first invented this method of distinguishing the quadrils by colours. The green was for those who represented the earth; the blue for the sea, &c.