Ludi Circenses
| Location | Castellum ab Alba, Latium |
|---|---|
| Formation | c. 8th century AD |
| Occurs | Every 3rd Friday of July |
| Events | |
| Venues |
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| Most recent | 2018 |
| Next | 2019 |
Ludi Circenses (Anglic: Circus Games) is an annual sporting festival in Latium that begins every third Friday of July and lasts for ten days. Similar events are held over the course the month of July throughout Latium.
History
The games are recorded to have sporadically taken place since the 1st century BC, though did not become an annual event until sometime in the 7th century AD (with exceptions). Traditionally, Ludi circenses were simply games presented by the Emperor that took place at the Castellum circus. The events varied in each rendition, though are believed to always include chariot races. The earliest recorded games to have a set list of events was in the 13th century and included chariot races, flat racing, and jousting. The first games in the modern sense came in the 19th century with the inclusion of more modern equestrian events. Though the games claim to have been held annually since the 7th century, a number of games have been cancelled due to war or other extreme circumstances. Most recently the 1945, 1946, and 1947 games were cancelled due to the Social War.
Opening
The games with a traditional opening ceremony known as Pompa circensis ("circus parade"), which includes a parade through the capital. The parade route generally follows the same pattern, beginning in Palpatinus, through the Castellum forum and concluding at the National Stadium where the games are officially opened by the presiding officer. The presiding officer changes yearly, and is most often a member of the Imperial family or high nobility. The Prince Leo was the presiding officer of the games in 2017, while Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Florentia was the presiding officer of the 2018 games. The presiding officer of the 2019 games is Empress Anastasia.
The parade generally consists of musicians, representatives from groups in Castellum including youth groups, social clubs, etc.