The
Roman circus (from
Latin, "circle") was a large open-air venue used for public events in the ancient
Roman Empire. The circuses were similar to the
ancient Greek hippodromes, although circuses served varying purposes and differed in design and construction. Along with
theatres and
amphitheatres, Circuses were one of the main
entertainment sites of the time. Circuses were venues for
chariot races,
horse races, and performances that commemorated important events of the empire were performed there. For events that involved re-enactments of
naval battles, the circus was flooded with water.