SATISFACTION GUARANTEE.
Were not happy until your happy! That's our
promise to you. 30 day money back guarantee if you are not fully satisfied!
All autographed items come with a Certificate of Authenticity
Only $4.00 priority shipping per order
for pictures- no matter how many you order. All international shipping charges
will be the actual shipping cost.
All photos are printed on quality Kodak paper.
SECURE ONLINE ORDERING
OR CALL
518-369-1425
SARATOGA, NY
No one knows exactly when chariot racing began, but it is thought that since the chariot was invented, people have been racing them. The first chariot race to be documented was a race by Homer in the book Iliad when five men raced their chariot around a tree stump for grand prize that consisted on a slave woman and a cauldron. Later, chariots were used in the first Olympic events in 680 BC in which a statue of an eagle and a dolphin were raised to signify the beginning of the twelve lap race. It is interesting to note that most of these early Olympic games required the participant to compete in the nude, however chariot racing was an exception, probably because of the dust and rocks that were kicked by the horses and the possibility of a crash.
These chariot races could be compared to the X-games in today's times. They were very dangerous, since the chariots used had usually been modified from a war chariot, they were very unsafe. The riders feet were held in place but the chariots themselves provided for a very bumpy ride. During these early races, the turns that were made were very, very sharp. The riders would often overturn their chariots going around these turns and at times, other competitors would deliberately run into the others making them turn over. These crashes were most times deadly.
In later times, around 450 BC chariot races remained popular, but it was considered barbaric to drive your own chariot. Most often slaves would be the drivers, and although women were not allowed to participate in the Olympics, they were allowed to drive chariots. The awards were given to the chariot owner, rather than the driver. In one type of race, called the apobotai, two drivers would handle the reins and one would jump out of the chariot and run alongside the cart and then would jump back into the chariot, again, the award for this race was given to the chariot owner, not the driver.
These chariot races continued through the Roman times and then into the Byzantine Empire. Until some chariot racers became known for robberies and murders. After this, the popularity of chariot racing declined and when prices for the chariots became too much for even the emperors to afford the steadily became nonexistent.
Bug Boys offers Horse Racing Pictures & Photos
Information on the following is coming soon:
Breeders Cup -
Kentucky Derby -
Triple Crown -
Preakness
Belmont Stakes - Travers Stakes -
Saratoga Horse Racing
Copyright 2001-2005 Bugboys.com Joe@bug-boys.com
