Horse Racing in a Roman Hippodrome 1566 - 1638

Matthaeus Greuter created this engraving, “Horse Racing in a Roman Hippodrome,” sometime between 1566 and 1638, conjuring the spectacle of ancient Rome. Born in Strasbourg, Greuter's movement to Rome reflects the city's enduring allure as a center of art and power. This print, with its detailed depiction of a chariot race, speaks to the enduring fascination with Roman spectacle and the performance of power. The scene overflows with masculine energy, from the straining bodies of the athletes to the monumental architecture. Yet, this idealized vision elides the complex realities of Roman society, including the lives of enslaved people who would have maintained this very space. The triumphant display flattens history into a singular, celebratory event. It becomes a stage upon which power, dominance, and perhaps a certain nostalgia are put on display.