HESPERIA 74 (2005) A ROMAN CIRCUS IN Pages 585?611 CORINTH ABSTRACT area a During the 1967-1968 excavations of the Gymnasium in Corinth, long narrow was and structure (the "Apsidal Building") discovered. It is argued here that the structure the eastern meta and a of the represents portion spina a races were of circus, where chariot held. The circus appears to have been as an con planned integral component of the Caesarian design of the city, structed the renovated in the late 1st during Augustan period, century a.D., and refurbished as late as the 6th century. Furthermore, the circus was often the site of the equestrian contests of the Corinthian Caesarea festival and at times of the Panhellenic Isthmian Games. was b.c. When Colonia Laus lulia Corinthiensis founded in 44 by Julius new was on Caesar, the Roman colony built the site of the former Greek polis that had been destroyed by the consul Lucius Mummius in 146 B.c.1 was During the interim period of 102 years, the Greek city deprived of was its civic and political identity and largely deserted until the arrival of the earliest Roman colonists, a combination of freedmen and veterans.2 were Although certain architectural elements of the Greek city retained new in the foundation, the Roman architects and engineers brought with a over them plan for the colonial city and proceeded time to build new of 1.1 thank John H. Humphrey, the University Pennsylvania Muse "Corinth NB" throughout. um of David R. Jordan, Guy D. R. Sanders, Archaeology and Anthropology. 2. For the destruction of Corinth, I see Kathleen Warner Slane, Charles K. thank all of the students who have Paus. 2.1.2; Strabo 8.6.23; Livy me to Williams II, and James R. Wiseman for helped both inCorinth and in Per. 52. For the damage the city, assistance and discussions in seeWiseman 491-496. helpful Philadelphia, and particularTimothy 1979, pp. concerning the subject of this article. In Demorest, David Pacifico, and Nicho For discussion of the planning of the I to las L. assistance in see particular, would like thank Slane Stapp for their colony, Romano 1993. For the see for the pottery identification and preparing the final drawings. Finally, colonists, Strabo 8.6.23 (freedmen); and I thank description, Williams for assistance the anonymous Hesperia Plut. Caes. 57 (veterans). See also the I am reviewers comments and recent of at with the stratigraphie analysis. for their sug study the early colony also toWiseman for on an earlier version of this ac grateful supply gestions Corinth byWalbank (1997). For the for article. interim see ing photographs Figs. 1,2,4, tivity during the period, 6. were to exca and The drawings produced References the Corinth Williams 1978, pp. 21-22; Romano are as by the Corinth Computer Project of vation notebooks abbreviated 1994, pp. 62-64. ? The American School of Classical Studies at Athens American School of Classical Studies at Athens is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to Hesperia ® www.jstor.org 586 DAVID GILMAN ROMANO structures buildings, monuments, and of characteristic Roman type.3 For corner example, the amphitheater at Corinth, located in the northeast of the was planned colony of 44 b.c., probably constructed during the Augustan a period.4 Later, under Vespasian, in the early 70s A.D., second Roman was at colony founded Corinth, Colonia lulia Flavia Augusta Corinthiensis, with subsequent planning and building activity.5 a was Another structure characteristic of Roman city the circus, the races were con place where chariot held and where spectators watched the tests.6Most typically, four-horse chariots, quadrigae, and two-horse chariots, on a bigae, would compete closed racecourse, although other equestrian contests events and sometimes athletic, gladiatorial, and dramatic could a as a be staged in circus well.7 It is suggested here that Corinth had circus was and that it planned from the earliest days of the colony, constructed as an integral component of the Augustan phase of the city, and then used throughout much of antiquity.81 also propose that the equestrian contests were of the pentaeteric Corinthian Caesarea festival held in this circus, and sometimes the Panhellenic Isthmian Games as well. DESCRIPTION AND EARLY IDENTIFICATION area During the 1967-1968 excavations of the Gymnasium in Corinth by a the University of Texas, under the direction of James R. Wiseman, long and narrow structure was discovered ca. 45 m to the south of a structure ten as a tatively identified the Gymnasium.9 The structure, aligned in roughly at was east-west direction and called the time the "Apsidal Building," excavated for a distance of about 19 m with an interior width of ca. 3.5 m; the west end of the structure was not found, presumably lying beyond the area structure excavated (Figs. 1-3). The maximum width of the excavated m east-west m. is 4.49 and the length of the curved eastern portion is 4.84 5. Flavian is known Beacham 1-44. 3. From the archaeological record The colony 1999, pp. one must assume was a 8. It is that Greek Cor that there par from numismatic, epigraphical, and very likely and evidence. inth a its tial selective physical destruction (recently) archaeological had hippodrome although structures See Corinth no. Corinth location has not been discovered. It of the buildings and of VI, p. 26, 93; no. Romano must remain a that the site the Greek city. See Wiseman 1979, VIII.3, p. 42, 82; 2000; possibility at an pp. 491-496. 2003, pp. 291-299. The second Roman of the Roman circus could earlier to new have been the site of the 4.Welch 1999, pp. 133-140. Welch colony is likely have introduced date Greek suggests that the date of the structure colonists into the city. facility although Humphrey (1986, on its 6. The Lex Coloniae the reminds us that "there is no is based construction techniques, Genetivae, p. 12) a a which are most similar to those of other colonial charter of Urso, foundation Roman example of Classical Greek 44 converted amphitheaters built during the late 1st of Julius Caesar in b.c., indicates hippodrome having been were to into a century b.c., Sutrium in Etruria and that the aediles organize games canonical?i.e. monumental? or contests in Roman Carmo in Baetica. Furthermore, she in the circus gladiatorial circus." out the forum. Each aedile was to 9.Wiseman points that, for both social and po spend 1969, pp. 64-72, an would not less than sesterces from his c. For the excavations in the litical reasons, amphitheater 2,000 pi. 20:b, a in a own to be see also Wiseman have been necessity Roman col money, supplemented by Gymnasium area, sesterces of See 1972.1 thank Professor ony founded by Julius Caesar. The lo 1,000 public money. 1967a, 1967b, at 423-424. It Wiseman for with me ele cation of the amphitheater Corinth Crawford 1996, vol. 1, pp. discussing corner is same law was a ments of this structure and for in the northeast of the colony possible that the part permis to of the colonial charter of the Caesarian sion to cite information is similar the locations amphi of unpublished at from the excavation notebooks. theaters in other Roman colonies, just foundation Corinth. or inside outside the city limits. 7. Humphrey 1986, pp. 71-72; A ROMAN CIRCUS IN CORINTH 587 A Figure 1.View of the "Apsidal Building" from the east, 1968. Corinth Excavations; photo courtesy J. R. Wiseman as a was A hard-packed surface identified that of courtyard found to the north, east, and south of the structure. The curved eastern end is constructed of eight well-finished, curved are a marble slabs that backed by series of large reused poros blocks of a on various shapes, including column fragment. The curved marble slabs were a the exterior clamped together. One surface of every marble block is half-round; all but one of these half-round surfaces have been embedded in one the ground although in case the half-round is the present top surface. m Approximately 2 west of the east end of the structure, the curved end run a of the wall is continued by rectangular blocks that in straight line approximately east-west. A cross-wall of additional reused blocks joins the ends of the curved eastern end of the structure.10 After an interval of 1-2 m, courses on east-west poros blocks, two high the south, continue the walls of the structure toward the west. were Three pits cut into the bedrock associated the excavator 10. One of the in large by blocks, "ag" Fig. 3, use are with the original of the structure. The pits, which aligned roughly appears to have had an earlier use as a east-west, are (ca. 6.0 m center to center) and are of similar starting-line block from the dromos of spaced equally a or dimensions.11 Shallow channels lead toward the from different direc gymnasium stadium. pits 11.Wiseman the a m m (1969, p. 69) gives tions. To the south of the pits, drain, approximately 0.50 wide and 8 dimensions: for 1, Diam. following pit long, covered with marble slabs, was excavated, beginning 11.5m west of the 1.65 m, D. 0.88 m; pit 2: Diam. 1.65 m, east end of the structure and extending west into the western scarp 3). D. 0.79 m; 3: Diam. 1.45 m, (Fig.