The Circus Maximus, one of ancient Rome's most iconic structures, was once a grand center for entertainment. Originally a simple racetrack between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it evolved over time into a monumental stadium adorned with statues, monuments, and triumphal gates. This transformation reflected its cultural and symbolic importance to Rome as the city's oldest and largest stadium.

The central spine (spina) of the racetrack was lavishly decorated, featuring gilded metae and the towering obelisk of Pharaoh Ramesses II, brought to Rome by Augustus in 10 B.C. While ancient sources, such as Pliny the Elder, claimed it could hold up to 250,000 spectators, modern estimates place its capacity at over 200,000 by the 4th century A.D. Despite damages from fires, the Circus was repeatedly restored, with these efforts often commemorated on Roman coinage, including sestertii issued by emperors like Trajan and Caracalla.

The Circus Maximus hosted diverse events, such as parades, athletic contests, and gladiatorial combat. However, chariot racing was its most popular attraction. During Trajan’s reign, up to two dozen races were held daily, featuring teams of two, three, or four horses competing in fast-paced, seven-lap contests. These races captivated Roman audiences, showcasing their love for competition and spectacle.

Though gladiatorial combat is more widely remembered today, the chariot races of the Circus Maximus defined Roman entertainment. Renovations under Caracalla in A.D. 213 further enhanced its grandeur, celebrated in rare coinage. Artistic depictions of the Circus highlight its architectural splendor, including the starting gates, meta columns, and the obelisk. Surrounding features like arcades, triumphal arches, and the temple of Sol and Luna underscored its significance as a cultural and architectural masterpiece.

This coin boasts a prestigious 18th century pedigree. The collection was formed by Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC, FRS (1730-1782), a Prime Minister of Great Britain. An article by R.J. Hopper (paywalled but available online from Cambridge University Press, published in 1982) goes into great detail about the coins he acquired. Many of the coins were bought en-bloc from the collections of the Museo dei Padri Corsini, acquired in Italy in 1748, and of the Abbé Visconti, President of the Society of Antiquaries in Rome, purchased around 1774.

Wentworth wrote that he had been collecting coins for "near twenty-eight years" in 1773, marking the starting point of his interest in 1745. He toured through Naples and Rome in 1749-50 but his father forbade him from continuing to buy coins in March 1750 due to short funds. None of Wentworth's descendants were known to collect so this coin and the rest of the collection will have been acquired prior to 1775.

The collection was sold when the family was ultimately driven from wealth due to the nationalization of their vast coalfields, prompting a series of estate sales in 1949.

Caracalla augustus, 198 – 217. Sestertius 213, Æ 22.89 g. M AVREL ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. P M TR P XVI IMP II View of the Circus Maximus with its arches, the obelisk, the spina, chariots; in the background, a temple and a colonnade. In exergue, COS IIII P P / S C. C 236. BMC 251. RIC 500a.

Ex. Charles Watson-Wentworth (1730-1782), the Earl Fitzwilliam's Wentworth Estates Company Collection (sold at Christie's, 30 May 1949), acquired prior to 1775; Ex. Sternberg VII, Nov 24 1977, lot 713; Ex Numismatic Fine Arts, "Publication 4" Fixed Price List. January 1978; Ex. NFA XVIII lot 51