Questions about Circus Maximus

Short answers, pulled from the story.

Who built the first seating at the Circus Maximus?

Lucius Tarquinius Priscus built raised wooden perimeter seating for Rome's highest echelons during the Regal era. His grandson Tarquinius Superbus added the first seating for citizen-commoners on the Aventine side of the track.

When did Augustus rebuild the starting gates and add an obelisk to the Circus Maximus?

Augustus rebuilt Ceres' temple above the starting gates after it was probably damaged in the fire of 31 BC. He brought an obelisk from Heliopolis and erected it midway along the dividing barrier of the Circus at that time.

What happened to Christians at the Circus Maximus during the Roman Imperial period?

Early Christians suffered damnatio ad bestias where condemned individuals were exposed to wild animals as capital punishment. Some accounts connect these executions involving animals with the reign of Nero following the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE.

How deep is the original track of the Circus Maximus beneath modern Rome today?

The original track now lies six meters beneath the modern surface due to accumulated debris and flooding. After the 6th century the stadium fell into disuse while lower levels were gradually buried under waterlogged alluvial soil.

Which gods served as patrons of the Circus Maximus according to ancient sources?

Sun-god Apollo served as divine patron of the Circus with his sacred obelisk towering over the arena close to the finishing line. Castor and Pollux were patrons of horses horsemen and the equestrian order born from eggs symbolizing race-laps.