Where did the Circus Come From?

This is disputed, as people say that circus started in the 18th century. However, they did have what they called circus in Ancient Rome.

Ancient Rome circus

The problem is that the Ancient Rome’s circuses weren’t the enjoyable and fun things that we all love today. They were held in large stadiums with horse and chariot races, they even staged battles. Of course, there were gladiators, and they did have displays of trained animals. They were a spectacle, very much adult entertainment not really one aimed at children.

The Modern Circus

It appears that modern circus was started in 18th century by Philip Astley, a cavalry officer, who on 4^th April 1768, at Lambeth in London, created an amphitheatre where he put on a display of horses doing tricks.  He did this in a circular performance space, an amphitheatre, allowing spectators to sit all round, which is why it was called a Circus.

Astley was so successful that he even took his Circus to France and went on to build 18 more venues across Europe. They were all special circular buildings, tents appeared later.

Circus went to the United States

It crossed the pond to the United States 1793 when John Bill Ricketts opened one in Philadelphia in 1793.  Again, people loved it, and he was so successful that he was able to tour it across the States, building circus buildings as he went.  

The big tent

The tent only arrived in 1825 when they all realised that was a large tent cheaper and easier to move from town to town.   Then in 1838 the big tent came back across the pond to England as it’s advantages were so obvious.

The Travelling Circus

Once the big tent arrived it meant that the Circus could easily move from town to town, today’s the traveling circus had arrived.  The most famous of which was “The Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show On Earth”, which Barnum  even brought  across the Atlantic and toured around Europe.  

His wasn’t the only travelling circus, they became very popular in Europe, so much so that when Lenin became the head of Russia, he nationalized the Russian circuses and then went further and opened the State University of Circus and Variety Arts, which in the end became the Moscow Circus School, in 1927.

Isn’t the history of circus fun?

10 Questions to discuss:

1. 1. What is the main difference between ancient Roman circuses and modern circuses?
   2. When and by whom was the modern circus founded?
   3. How did the circus spread to the United States?
   4. When and why was the big top tent introduced?
   5. What was the name of the most famous traveling circus?
   6. What did Lenin do with the circuses in Russia?
   7. What is the Moscow Circus School?
   8. Were there any other popular traveling circuses in Europe?
   9. What are some of the ethical concerns surrounding modern circuses?
   10. How has the circus industry changed over time?

For more on this click on:

http://www.historyofcircus.com/

http://www.baththeatreschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/A-TIMELINE-OF-CIRCUS-HISTORY.pdf 

© Tony Dalton