Roman Athletes

Sports have become an important part of modern culture, and it has been this way for thousands of years. In ancient Rome, hundreds of thousands of people would gather to watch chariot races and naval battles. Drivers for the races were chosen amongst the lower class, and they were given jerseys, helmets, and shin guards, similar to some sports in today’s society. The most popular and highly-paid racer in ancient Rome would put even the top athletes today to shame. Gaius Appuleius Diocles played for the Green and White team before making a name for himself as a Red. He spent twenty-four years in the races, earning over 35 million sesterces, the currency of Rome at the time, throughout his chariot racing career. When converted into American dollars with today’s value, that would have been a staggering $15 billion Diocles made by the age of 42.