Although no circus — the arena dedicated to chariot and horse races known as Ludi Circenses — has been found at Ostia, such competitions must have taken place here. This is evidenced by two frescoes depicting charioteers that once adorned a corridor wall in the Caseggiato degli Aurighi (“Charioteers’ Building”).
The Charioteers of the Caseggiato degli Aurighi
The two charioteers, each framed in a small panel against a white background, are shown triumphantly driving their chariots. Both hold the crown and palm of victory in their hands. The horses are depicted at full gallop, and the figures are positioned to face each other.
The Ludi Circenses included races with bigae (two-horse chariots) and quadrigae (four-horse chariots). The track had a sand surface and consisted of two long, parallel straightaways, separated by a central spina. At each end of the spina stood a meta, a turning post that marked the 180° curve of the track. The race consisted of multiple laps, and the charioteer had to skillfully drive the horses at top speed on the straights — but most importantly, he had to navigate the tight turns around the meta without losing time or risking a crash.
The Caseggiato degli Aurighi forms part of a unified architectural complex, together with the Baths of the Seven Sages (Terme dei Sette Sapienti) and the Caseggiato del Serapide. This entire city block was developed starting in the Hadrianic period and appears to have been a residential quarter served by the nearby bath complex.
