Circus Minimus

Circus Minimus

The Circus Minimus is part of the Palatine Hill complex; it served as the emperor’s private circus; here took place gladiator fights, animal fights and chariot races as in the Colosseum or in the Circus Maximus, but they were off-limits for commoners; only the emperor and the few people he chose could attend the shows. Also, due to the small size compared with other circuses, only a one-horse chariot could be in the race at any given time, thus having time trials rather than one-to-one races