Summary
Chariot racing is at the heart of the corruption and greed that drives the drama in Peacock’s new epic seriesThose About to Die, and the show does a good job of showing exactly how complexAncient Roman chariot racing teamswere. Starring Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins, Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones) and Sara Martins (Death in Paradise),Those About to Dieprovides an in-depth look at the gambling underworld associated with chariot racing in the Circus Maximus of Rome. That includes examining the different racing teams, how fandom worked, and how the races were executed.
The real history behindThose About to Die’s political dramais well-represented if somewhat exaggerated, butThose About to Die’s depiction of the racing culture is pretty close to reality. Although myth and legend indicate that chariot racing had deep ties with Roman religion and culture when it first started hundreds of years earlier, by the time the real events depicted inThose About to Dieoccurred, it had devolved into something far more corrupt. The show’s subplot surrounding thereal historical chariot racer Scorpusprovides the best look at how the chariot teams actually worked.
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There was a ton of money backing each team
Those About to Dieis set at the very end of thereign of Emperor Vespasiancirca 79 AD, and at that point in time there were still four primary chariot racing teams, or factions. PerWorldHistory.org, the Blue, Green, Red, and White factions were all well-established by then, which was why the creation of the new Gold faction caused such an uproar.Each team had owners, who were typically wealthy citizens, and those owners would collect a large amount of each race’s purse, with a smaller portion going to the charioteers themselves.
The real emperor Domitian actually created two new factions during his time as ruler, colored Gold (as seen in the show) and Purple.
They assisted with preparation of the horses and equipment
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Each team also had a fully-trained staff of peoplethat helped with the maintenance of the equipment and execution of the race. Some team members tended the horses and ensured the chariot itself was well-maintained, while others tended to needs like preparing the starting stalls and clearing the arena afternaufragia, the term for a crash that literally translates to “shipwrecks”, which is the term used inThose About to Die. With so much money on the line with each racing faction, no expense was spared to keep the teams well-equipped and well-tended in both materials and personnel.
Even some emperors were avid fans
Those About to Diecenters around one charioteer in particular: Scorpus, the experienced and beloved driver who had reached celebrity status. Most charioteers were very young men, typically around 12 or 13 years of age when they began training. They were also usually slaves, captured from other parts of the world and brought to Rome for that purpose, as chariot racing was seen as an activity that was beneath a true Roman citizen. Starting from such a young age,the charioteers that survived to adulthood typically had fans and followings of their own, as Scorpus did in the show.
Historical sources indicate that the real Scorpus supposedly won over 2000 races before his death on the track at the age of 26, which is depicted inThose About to Die.
Just as charioteers garnered adulation just like today’s pro athletes,the factions themselves typically had fervid fan bases. Just as pro athletes can be traded or sign with other teams now, charioteers like Scorpus could switch allegiances based on who paid them more, which is what occurs in the show. That meant that many members of the crowd aligned with factions as opposed to drivers, just as someone might support the Buffalo Bills or the Los Angeles Dodgers now.Those About to Diemay exaggerate the political drama, but its depiction of chariot teams was not far off from reality.
Those About To Die
Cast
Set in the year 79 AD in Rome, “Those About to Die” dives into the brutal and complex world of gladiatorial combat. The series explores the dark underbelly of Roman entertainment, where the promise of free food and blood-soaked spectacles keep the restless population in check. The narrative focuses on various characters from all corners of the Roman Empire, whose lives intersect in the grand arena.
