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Subjects · Leaving Cert Classical Studies

Leaving Cert Classical Studies: Circus Maximus & chariot racing

How often Circus Maximus & chariot racing comes up on the Classical Studies papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 2 of the last 3 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

OL Asked on 2 of the last 3 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Circus Maximus & chariot racing, Higher Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on Circus Maximus & chariot racing.

(a)What was a naufragium in chariot racing?
  1. A win by a full length
  2. A crash, literally a shipwreck
  3. A false start from the starting gates
(b)The Circus Maximus lay between which two hills?
  1. The Esquiline and the Caelian
  2. The Capitoline and the Quirinal
  3. The Palatine and the Aventine
(c)What was the spina in the Circus Maximus?
  1. The central barrier the chariots raced around
  2. The emperor's box above the finishing line
  3. The starting gates at the end of the track
Show the answers

(a) A crash, literally a shipwreck

(b) The Palatine and the Aventine

(c) The central barrier the chariots raced around

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Circus Maximus & chariot racing.

Higher Level

Asked on 2 of the last 3 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q5
2024Not asked
2023Q4

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 2 of the last 3 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q8
2024Q11
2023Not asked

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Circus Maximus & chariot racing questions

Circus Maximus & chariot racing, 2 marks

Which sport was held in the Circus Maximus?

  1. Gladiator fights
  2. Sea battles
  3. Chariot racing
Show the answer

Chariot racing

The long track suited horse and chariot racing. Gladiator fights mainly took place in amphitheatres like the Colosseum.

Circus Maximus & chariot racing, 2 marks

How many laps were in a normal chariot race?

  1. Twenty
  2. Seven
  3. Three
Show the answer

Seven

The laps were counted by moving egg and dolphin markers on the spina. The tight turns at the turning posts (metae) were where most crashes happened.

Circus Maximus & chariot racing, 2 marks

Which of these was one of the four chariot-racing factions?

  1. The Greens
  2. The Blacks
  3. The Oranges
Show the answer

The Greens

The four factions were the Reds, Whites, Blues and Greens. Fans supported them passionately, a bit like football clubs today.

Other Classical Studies topics

All of Leaving Cert Classical Studies