In the ancient Rome, the Circus Maximus was the largest circus and stadium of the empire and it was used for chariot racing. Situated between the Aventine and Palatine Hills it was a prime location for entertainment while today is a public park. The main function of the Circus was to host ludi, public games organised by the Romans that could last from one day to one year, as well as political and religious ceremonies. For this purpose, the stadium acted as background to many battles and duels becoming, over time, the main venue for gladiator shows and beast-hunts. The number of ludi organised in the Circus Maximus only started to decrease with the advent of Christianity.
The original site underwent disastrous fire which caused severe damage to the area and led to a final reconstruction entirely in stone under Trajan’s era. After the sixth century, the area became unused and represented only a basin of construction material to be quarried.
Nowadays the site is mainly used to host public concerts and meetings.
