However, others claimed the Circus Maximus was laid out not by Romulus, but by Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, King of Rome from 614 BCE. The abducted maidens were quite as despondent and indignant. Alarm and consternation broke up the games, and the parents of the girls fled distracted with grief and uttering bitter reproaches on the violators of the laws of hospitality and appealing to the god to whose solemn games they had come, only to be the victims of impious perfidy. One, surpassing all others for grace and beauty, is reported to have been carried off by a group led by a certain Talassius, and to the many inquiries as to whom she was intended for, the invariable answer was given, “For Talassius.” Hence the use of this word in the marriage rites. The larger part were carried off indiscriminately, but some particularly beautiful girls who had been marked out for the leading patricians were carried to their houses by plebeians who had been instructed to do so. When the time for the games had come, and their eyes and minds were alike riveted on the spectacle before them, a prearranged signal was given and the Roman youth dashed in all directions to carry off the girls who were present. They were invited to accept hospitality at different houses and, after examining the situation of Rome, its walls and the large number of homes it included, they were astonished at the rapidity with which the Roman state had grown. There was a great gathering people were eager to see the new City, all their nearest neighbours – the people of Caenina, Antemnae, and Crustumerium – were there, and the whole Sabine population came along with their wives and families. cities, and his people supported him in making the celebration as magnificent as their knowledge and resources allowed, so that expectations were raised to the highest level.
To secure a favourable place and time for such an attempt, Romulus, hiding his resentment, made elaborate preparations for the celebration of games in honour of “Equestrian Neptune,” which he called “ the Consualia.” He ordered public notice of the spectacle to be sent to neighbouring. Usually they were dismissed with the question, “whether they had opened an asylum for women, because except that would get them intermarriage on equal terms.” The Roman youth could barely tolerate such insults, and it began to look like there would be war. Whilst their proposals were treated sneeringly, people felt great worry at the power so rapidly growing among them. Nowhere did the messengers meet with a welcoming reception. There should, therefore, be no reluctance for men to mingle their blood with their fellow-men. But as for the origin of Rome, it was well known that while it had received divine assistance, it did not lack courage and self-reliance. These said that these cities, like everything else, sprung from the humblest beginnings, and those who were helped on by their own courage and the favour of heaven won for themselves great power and great fame. Acting on the advice of the Senate, Romulus sent messengers to the surrounding nations to ask for alliances and the right of intermarriage on behalf of his new community.
The Roman state had now become so strong that it was a match for any of its neighbours in war, but its greatness threatened to last for only one generation, since as they had no women they had no hope of children and no right to intermarry with their neighbours. As Livy tells the story, the trouble started because people did not want to marry their daughters into a state that was an asylum for criminals and exiles, and the Romans, offended at this, decided just to take their women where they wanted: Although it was said to have been laid out by a later king, this was also where Romulus, the founder of Rome and its first king, was said to have seized and raped the Sabine Women, at a festival for Consus, the Roman god of grain storage. The Circus Maximus was the oldest and largest circus in Rome: it could seat 250,000 people and another 250,000 could watch events there from the surrounding hills – which meant that even when Rome was at its biggest, around about a 1/3 of its population could conceivably view events in it. The Circus lies between the Aventine (left) and Palatine (right) the oval structure to the far right is the Colosseum. Model of Rome in the 4th century AD, by Paul Bigot. how often the Circus burned down and/or flooded (a lot).the behaviour and make-up of crowds at Rome.the connection of the Circus and games with Roman religion.the history of the Circus Maximus, Rome’s largest performance space.