Page 164 - A Walk to Caesarea / Joseph Patrich

150 Archaeological Review

Fig. 169a–b Excavations were carried out in the Roman circus of Caesarea in 1970 by John

a. The far turning post (meta Humphrey, and in 1999–2000 by Yosef Porath on behalf of the Israel Antiquities

prima) designed as a Authority. The circus was built in Hadrian’s time. Its dimensions are c. 450 x 90 m.
rounded paved area on The seating galleries (cavea) were built of stone and a system of passages and stairs
which various decorations enabled swift, comfortable, orderly movement of the spectators to their place. The
were placed building material used here was also kurkar. Only sections of the foundations of the
b. Hunks of the cones that seating system have been uncovered; its upper members were looted – probably for
decorated the turning

post, pink granite the building or reinforcing of the adjacent city wall.

a The starting gates (not uncovered as yet) were
located in the north. The games commenced with

a ceremonial procession (pompa) around the arena,

after which the chariots would set themselves up at

the starting gates. Each charioteer could select the

stall he wanted. The order of selecting was determined

by a special lottery machine (kylistra) comprising an

amphora revolving on a horizontal axis. The starting

gates had a mechanical device for simultaneous

opening of all the gates. The signal for starting the

b race and opening the gates was by a piece of white

cloth (mapa) that was dropped from the hands of the

presiding magistrate, whose box was located above. A

more specific sign followed immediately – waving of

banners or blowing of trumpets. The converging point

of the chariots, which set out from separate stalls, was

Fig. 170a–b the turning post closer to the starting gates, the meta
a. The fallen obelisk, photo from the British Mandate period secunda. The starting line was also marked here – “the
b. The obelisk after its re-erection in September 2004 white line”. The lanes were marked with white lime,

a and during the start of the race – up to the “white
line” – each chariot was confined to its lane. The

layout of the lanes in the first section of the race was,

therefore, somewhat radial, as in the Circus Maximus.

From this point on, until the further turning post (the

meta prima), the chariots could deviate and pass each

b other. The race consisted of seven counter-clockwise
laps around a central barrier, comprising a series of

elongated pools (euripi), protruding above the arena

level, which were decorated with statues and other

monuments. (A barrier of this type was built in the

Circus Maximus only under Trajan). Impressive

remnants of it were uncovered here, comprising

a rounded platform on which stood three tall red

granite cones, each consisting of three components

(Fig. 169a–b). Also placed here were pillars and other

ornaments. The pool, which was north of here, had