in Antiquity, a large building, either round or oval, used for exhibiting shows to the people. Some derive the word from Circe, to whom Tertullian attributes the invention. Cassiodorus says that Circus is derived from circuitu. The Romans, Servius observes, at first had no other circus than that formed 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 circumsenses; but Scaliger ridicules this etymology.

The Roman circus was a large oblong edifice, arched at one end, encompassed with porticoes, and furnished with rows of seats placed in an ascending order one over another. In the middle was a kind of foot-bank or eminence, with obelisks, statues, and posts at each end. This served for the courses of the bigae and quadrigae. There were no less than ten circuses at Rome. The largest, built by the elder Tarquin, and called Circus Maximus, was situated 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 because it was consecrated to the great gods Vertumnus, Neptune, Jupiter, Juno, Minerva, and the Dil Penates of Rome. Dionysius of Halicarnassus says that it was three stadia and a half in length, and four jugera in breadth; measures which, allowing to the Roman stadia 625 Roman feet of twelve inches each, will give for the length 2187 Roman feet, or somewhat more than three English fur- Circuses longs, and for the breadth, allowing each of the jugera to be 240 Roman feet, 960 Roman feet. It was beautified and enlarged by the Roman emperors, so as to accommodate 250,000 spectators. The most magnificent circuses were those of Augustus and Nero. There are still some remains of the circuses at Rome, at Nismes, and other places.

The Games of the Circus, which some call the Circensian Games, were combats celebrated in the circus, in honour of Consus, the god of councils, and thence also called Consualia. They were also called Roman Games, Ludi Romani, either on account of their antiquity, as being coeval with the Roman people, or because they were established by the Romans; and the games held there, the great games, ludi magni, because they were celebrated with more expense and magnificence than others, and because they were held in honour of the great god Neptune, who was the Consus. Those who say that 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; and the pomp or procession was only a part of the games, forming the prelude, as it were, 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; but after that prince had built the circus, being constantly held there, they took their name from the place where they were celebrated.