Circus of Maxentius

The Circus of Maxentius is one of the best-preserved Roman circuses — an arena approximately 500 metres long built by Emperor Maxentius in 309 AD on the Appian Way, as part of a unified villa complex with the circular Mausoleum of his deified son Valerius Romulus and an imperial palace overlooking the racetrack. Unlike the Circus Maximus, where almost nothing remains above ground, here the site is an open archaeological area with paths around the arena, an unusually well-preserved set of carceres (starting gates), and a surviving section of the original seating embankment — access to specific structures can vary. Despite being only 4.5 km from the Colosseum, the site receives far fewer visitors — you will often have much of the arena to yourself.

Why visit the Circus of Maxentius?

While the Circus Maximus is famous and the Colosseum is unmissable, neither lets you actually understand how a Roman circus worked. The Circus of Maxentius does — and it gives you the experience in near-solitude.

• One of the best-preserved Roman circuses: approximately 500 m of intact arena, surviving spina, and unusually well-preserved carceres.
• Unified imperial dynastic monument: circus + mausoleum + palace conceived as one — the only complete example outside Hadrian's Villa.
• Frozen in time: Maxentius died at the Milvian Bridge three years after construction; the site was never reused, preserving the 309 AD layout almost intact.
• Surprise Bernini connection: the Egyptian obelisk that crowned the spina now stands atop Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona.
• Free entry, far fewer crowds: the site receives a small fraction of the Colosseum's visitors, so you will likely have much of the approximately 500 m arena to yourself.

Quick facts

A brief history

Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius (c. 278–312 AD) became Roman Emperor in October 306, when the Praetorian Guard proclaimed him Augustus in Rome. His six-year reign was extraordinarily ambitious in monumental construction: the colossal Basilica of Maxentius in the Forum, the Temple of Romulus on the Sacred Way, and — on the Appian Way — a unified suburban villa complex unlike anything in the Roman world.

The trigger was personal tragedy. In 309 AD his young son Valerius Romulus, aged about 14 and already designated heir, died unexpectedly. Maxentius had him deified — divus Romulus — and reorganised the entire Appian Way property around his cult. In a single rapid building campaign he constructed three monuments: the circular Mausoleum of Romulus, a approximately 500-metre chariot-racing circus for funerary games (ludi funebres), and an imperial palace on the slope above with a private box (pulvinar) overlooking the arena.

The Circus was probably used only once — for the funerary games of 309 AD itself. Three years later, on 28 October 312 AD, Maxentius marched out to face Constantine at the Milvian Bridge, was defeated and drowned in the Tiber. Constantine completed Maxentius's other Forum projects but ignored this one. The villa complex was abandoned within months and never reused.

That accidental abandonment is why the site survives so well. Through the medieval centuries the arena was ploughed for agriculture; the Mausoleum of Romulus was converted into the Casale di Massenzio farmhouse (medieval brickwork still visible above the original Roman cylinder); the carceres became animal pens. Nothing was demolished, nothing was reused — the 309 AD layout was preserved by neglect.

In 1649 Pope Innocent X had the Egyptian obelisk that crowned the central spina (Domitian's Obelisk, late 1st century AD) removed and re-erected by Bernini on top of the new Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona — where it still stands. The site itself was correctly identified as the Circus of Maxentius (rather than 'of Caracalla') in 1825 by the archaeologist Antonio Nibby, who found brick stamps dated 309 AD inside the carceres masonry.

Systematic excavation began only in 1960 ahead of the Rome Olympics, and the first stable visitor route opened in the 1990s. The Sovraintendenza Capitolina continues periodic conservation work on the carceres and embankment; hours are seasonal, so check the official Musei in Comune / Villa di Massenzio page before visiting.

Architecture & how a Roman chariot circus worked

The seven-lap race (sette giri)

Roman chariot races consisted of seven laps around the central spina (≈ 4 km total). Lap counters — bronze dolphins and marble eggs — were lowered one by one as each lap was completed. Up to twelve four-horse chariots (quadrigae) raced simultaneously.

The carceres mechanism

Twelve starting stalls aligned along an arc — geometrically calculated so that all chariots had an equal distance to the first turn. A spring-loaded gate system released all twelve simultaneously when the magistrate dropped the white cloth (mappa). Maxentius's are the only intact set surviving anywhere.

The spina & metae

A 296 m brick barrier divided the track. It carried the obelisk (now in Piazza Navona), shrines to Cybele and Sol, the lap counters and water basins. The two turning posts (metae) at each end were the most dangerous corners — chariot crashes (naufragia) were routine.

The Mausoleum of Romulus

The first monument you encounter inside the entrance is also the architectural and emotional centre of the entire complex: the circular brick Mausoleum of Romulus, built by Maxentius in 309 AD for his deified son Valerius Romulus, dead at about 14.

The architecture is deliberately reminiscent of the great Augustan and Hadrianic dynastic mausolea (the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Castel Sant'Angelo): a 33-metre-diameter cylindrical drum, originally crowned by a hemispherical dome (now lost), surrounded by a large rectangular portico (quadriportico) of which the foundations remain. The inscription naming Romulus and recording his deification was found in fragments inside the drum and is now in the on-site museum.

Inside, an underground crypt — still accessible — features a circular chamber with a central pillar and radial niches, almost certainly intended for the funerary urns of Maxentius and his entire family. None of them ever made it: Maxentius drowned at the Milvian Bridge three years later, his body was decapitated by Constantine's troops, and his family fled into oblivion.

In the medieval period the mausoleum was converted into the Casale di Massenzio — a fortified farmhouse with crenellations and a barn. The medieval brick courses are still visible above the original Roman cylinder, making this one of the few Roman monuments where you can read 1,700 years of continuous reuse in a single elevation.

The Imperial Palace ruins

On the slope immediately north of the Circus stand the foundations of Maxentius's imperial palace — never finished, abandoned at his death in 312 AD and largely robbed for building material in the medieval centuries. What survives is enough to read the unified dynastic plan.

The complex includes a large basilical hall (probably the throne room), a private bath suite with intact hypocaust pillars, residential wings around peristyle courtyards, and — most importantly — a private box (pulvinar) directly overlooking the racetrack. Maxentius could watch the funerary games for his deified son without ever leaving his palace, with the Mausoleum of Romulus visible in the distance at the far end of the spina. The view-line is intentional.

Beneath the imperial palace, excavations have exposed the foundations of an earlier 1st–2nd-century senatorial villa, with intact black-and-white geometric mosaics still visible in situ. The site has been continuously prestigious for two thousand years.

Circus of Maxentius walking itinerary

A 2.5-hour, 7-stop walk covering the Mausoleum of Romulus, the carceres, the paths around the spina, the imperial palace and the Tomb of Cecilia Metella next door. Total distance ~1.5 km, mostly flat, with a short climb to the imperial palace (access to specific structures may vary).

Walking route map

Click on markers for stop details. Numbers indicate the walking order.

Bus 118 stop 'Cecilia Metella/Appia Antica'

Get off Bus 118 from Piramide metro at the Cecilia Metella/Appia Antica stop — the Circus entrance is 50 m further south on the right.

Mausoleum of Romulus

Begin at the circular mausoleum just inside the entrance. Visit the underground crypt and circle the surviving brick drum, originally crowned by a dome.

Carceres (starting gates)

Walk to the south-east end of the arena to see the unusually well-preserved carceres (starting gates). Look up at the flanking judges' towers.

Walk the spina

Walk the full approximately 500 m length of the central spina from south-east to north-west. Look for the brick obelisk foundations (Domitian's Obelisk now stands in Piazza Navona).

Seating embankment & panoramic view

Climb the small surviving section of the south seating bank for a panoramic view across the arena and out to the Alban Hills. Best photo spot on the site.

Imperial palace ruins

Walk uphill to the imperial palace ruins on the slope. See the basilical hall, the bath complex and the private box (pulvinar) overlooking the arena.

Tomb of Cecilia Metella

Walk 8 minutes north on the Appian Way to the cylindrical 1st-century BC Tomb of Cecilia Metella. It is separately administered and ticketed from the Villa of Maxentius complex.

Circus of Maxentius vs Circus Maximus — which to visit?

Verdict: do both. The Circus Maximus for the original scale and central location; the Circus of Maxentius to actually understand how a Roman chariot circus worked.

Best time to visit

Time of day

Morning (10:00–12:00)

Best — soft south-east light hits the carceres and the Mausoleum of Romulus. You will likely have the entire arena to yourself.

Late afternoon (14:30–16:00)

Good for the imperial palace ruins (north-facing slope) and for warm light on the spina.

Avoid August midday

No shade across the open arena and temperatures exceed 38°C. Visit before 11:00 or wait for September.

Best days & seasons

Sundays

Traffic restrictions apply to particular sections of the Appian Way, which can make parts of the area feel like a peaceful park. Restrictions vary and may change — check current signage.

Entry is always free

The site is a municipal free site. Arrive 10:00 to have the place to yourself.

March–May & October–November 2026

Ideal weather, soft light, full opening hours, almost zero crowds.

Avoid Mondays

Site closed. Plan Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–16:00. Hours are seasonal — check the official site.

Getting there

Bus 118 (best from city centre)

From Piramide metro (Line B) board Bus 118 direction Villa dei Quintili. 25 minutes, €1.50. Get off at 'Cecilia Metella/Appia Antica' — the Circus entrance is 50 m further south.

Bus 660 (alternative)

From Colli Albani metro (Line A) board Bus 660 — 15 minutes, drops you at Cecilia Metella. Useful if coming from the south or from Cinecittà.

Bicycle from Porta San Sebastiano

Rent a bike near the Aurelian Walls and cycle south on the original Appian Way — 4 km, completely flat, 25 minutes. Some sections have traffic restrictions on certain days — check current signage.

Archeobus (hop-on hop-off)

The 110/Archeobus tourist bus (€15 day ticket) runs from Termini along the Appian Way every 30 minutes, stopping at all major sites including the Circus.

Common mistakes to avoid

Visiting on Monday

The Circus of Maxentius is closed Mondays. Plan Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–16:00. Hours are seasonal — verify on sovraintendenzaroma.it before travelling.

Confusing it with the Circus Maximus

These are two different circuses 4 km apart. Circus Maximus is bigger but virtually nothing survives; Circus of Maxentius is smaller but almost complete. Both are worth visiting — for opposite reasons.

Looking for the original obelisk

Domitian's Obelisk was removed in 1649 and is now atop Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona. Only the brick foundations remain in the centre of the spina.

Skipping the Mausoleum of Romulus

Many visitors photograph the Circus and leave without entering the circular mausoleum at the entrance — yet it is the architectural and historical heart of the entire complex.

Driving to the site

Parking on the Appian Way is very limited and traffic restrictions apply to particular sections at certain times. Use Bus 118 from Piramide metro, Bus 660 from Colli Albani, or a bicycle from Porta San Sebastiano.

Assuming the Circus needs a ticket

Admission to the Villa of Maxentius complex, including the circus and Mausoleum of Romulus, is free. Nearby Appian Way attractions such as the Tomb of Cecilia Metella have separate admission arrangements.

Insider tips from locals

Visit on a Sunday morning

Traffic restrictions apply to particular sections of the Appian Way on some Sundays, and arrangements can change — check current signage. Combined with free admission to the Villa of Maxentius, you can enjoy a peaceful, almost empty archaeological park.

Admission is always free

Admission to the Villa of Maxentius complex, including the circus and Mausoleum of Romulus, is free every day of operation. Arrive 10:00 to avoid the modest queue.

Cycle from Porta San Sebastiano

Rent a bike at Roma Termini or near Porta San Sebastiano and cycle the original Appian Way south. 4 km, completely flat, 25 minutes — and you arrive without ever taking a bus.

Read the panels at the imperial palace

The most informative interpretive panels are at the imperial palace ruins, not the Circus arena. Read them first to understand the unified villa-circus-mausoleum dynastic plan.

Combine with the Catacombs of San Sebastiano

Walk 600 m south on the Appian Way to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano (€10, English-language tours every 30 min). The combination of pagan dynastic monument and early Christian burial complex is unique to this stretch of road.

Best photo: spina view at 11:00

From the surviving section of seating embankment (south side), around 11:00 the morning sun lights the approximately 500 m spina and the carceres towers from the south-east — postcard composition, access permitting.

Frequently Asked Questions

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