“It’s a shame people don’t get as worked up about the invasion at our southern border.”
Well, yeah. But in empires it’s important for the people to argue over everything pertaining to the Circus. In ancient Constantinople (Byzantine Empire; Eastern Roman Empire) you had chariot teams based on colors: Reds versus Greens, and then also the Whites and the Blues. (In order, the Russata, the Prasina, the Ablata, and the Veneta). Each team had avid, zealous fans. Go Russata!
The races would be held in the Circus Maximus (hence the “circuses” part of “Bread and Circuses”).
Everyone here remembers charioteer Gaius Appuleius Diocles, right? He raced for the Reds, but also for the Greens. His career spanned more than 2 decades, and he made huge sums of money. It’s from his races that I became a Reds fan. Go Reds! Team Russata!
The ruling elite loved the games, too. They had the best seats. But at the very top they, the emperors and top senators, were happy to see the people argue over the chariot teams, because it meant that no one was paying attention to the invasions of the empire from all those Visigoths and Ostrogoths and putting that same energy into demanding the empire do something about that or anything else in terms of imperial policy.
The Circus Maximus could hold 200,000 racing fans, so we’re not talking chump change. None of the broadcast rights were ever sold to NBC, however. ;-)
The Roman promoters really did things right
They needed a show that would clearly excite
The attendance was sparse so they put on a fight
Threw the Christians to the lions, sold out every night
Give the people what they want!
You gotta give the people what they want!
The more they get, the more they need
And every time they get harder and harder to please
-The Kinks