The bright sun is making you warm under your helmet and racing coat. The whip in your hand is damp with sweat. Some of that is
from nerves, not from the heat. Since you were a child, you wanted
to be a great chariot racer. And now your time has come. You are about to
· begin your first chariot race. You are excited, but also a little bit afraid.
The chariot races are the most popular entertainment in Rome. Racers
can win hundreds of races and earn a great amount of money. But they can
also die in one of the spectacular crashes that happen frequently.
You scan the large crowd all around you. There is no way to shut out the
roar of screams and cheers. But soon your attention focuses on the man just
beyond the starting line. It is he who will drop the mappa, the white starting
flag, that signals the beginning of your race and your career.
In front of the chariot, your four stallions stamp and kick up dust.
They seem as nervous as you do, and with good reason. The sharp turns
and hard surfaces on the track cause many horses to suffer broken bones
and concussions. You wrap the horse reins around your body for better
control of the giant animals.
Then you look down to be sure your knife is still secured in your belt.
If your chariot overturns, you will need the blade to cut yourself free of
the reins. Otherwise, your chariot or the horses might crush you to death.
Suddenly, the crowd grows quiet. You look up to see that the man beyond
the starting line has raised the flag. You grip the reins tightly and suck in
your breath. And then the flag drops.

What did it take to be a successful
chariot racer?