The Meaning of the Great Chariot Race Stadium in the Movie; Ben Hur

The Meaning of the Great Chariot Race Stadium in the Movie; Ben Hur

             Circo Massimo, which is called Circus Maximus, is one of the most popular tourist spots in Rome, Italy, and the biggest chariot racing stadium in ancient Rome. Many tourists who visit this old, massive historic site easily remind “Ben Hur”. Ben Hur is a very popular film adaptation of the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Circo Massimo carries some important meanings in the movie. It works as a symbol of the power of the Roman Empire, strong bond between two main characters, Judah Ben Hur and Messala, and also it shows the corruption of character of Romans and Jewish people under the Roman empires’ domination.

             To begin with, Circo Massimo was described as a way of showing off the power of the Roman Empire. The movie shows Jerusalem, the capital of Israel and at that time the Roman Empire was at the zenith of its power. The emperor of the Roman Empire in the film was Julius Caesar and he wanted to have the biggest chariot racing stadium because the Rome was the greatest Empire he thought. To build the stadium, he conscripted Jews as laborers and destroyed the city and tombs to get big stones as many as possible. Consequently he finished building the stadium that could accommodate about 150,000 spectators and it truly was the first largest stadium in ancient Rome.

             Additionally, the stadium in the film works as a symbol of strong bond between two main characters; Judah Ben Hur and Messala. Judah was a son of nobleman in Jerusalem and Messala was his adopted half-brother. At the beginning of the movie, they were good friend and they often enjoyed chariot race in the lot. Both of them loved horses and chariot race, so after they separated because Judah took responsibility for the assassination of Roman governor, horses and the game in the stadium made them reunited. At the end of the film, the final race in the chariot race stadium, Circo Massimo, showed the climax of their conflict though, at the same time it became a trigger to forgive each other and be a good friend again.

             The last and the most important meaning of the stadium is that the moral degeneration of Jews and Romans. Romans can be easily thought not that virtuous people they are, because of their atrocity and cruelty that easily found in the film. On the other hand, Jews do not seemed as that corrupted people. They constantly helped each other and especially Esther, the wife of Judah, became a follower of Jesus and was involved in charity work. However, the right after the race in the stadium, the emperor of the Roman Empire said that Jews were changed too. Truly, they enjoyed the cruel race, and shouted out with joy watching players die. Jewish people finally got corrupted under the Roman Empire’s colonial rule.

             As these scenes in the film shows, Circo Massimo, the first largest stadium in ancient Rome works as important device that make story flow. The movie could show how powerful the Roman Empire was, how atrocious their reign was, old but strong bond between two main characters, and even moral degeneration of Roman and Jews under colonialization by using this place, Circo Massimo. Ben Hur is a great movie and it re-released 4 times. It will be good to watch it and find the meaning of the place and think of it again in this weekend.