The southeast curve of the track ran between two sanctuaries that could have predated the formal development of the circus. One of them, on the outside of the curve, was dedicated to the goddess after whom the valley was named, Murcia "Murcia (mythology)"), a primitive deity associated with Venus "Venus (mythology)"), the myrtle bush, a sacred spring, the stream that divided the valley and the minor peak of the Aventine.[U] The other was on the southeast turning post, where there was an underground sanctuary dedicated to Consus, a minor god protector of cereals and the silos, connected to the goddess of agriculture, Ceres "Ceres (mythology)"). According to Roman tradition, Romulus discovered this sanctuary shortly after the founding of Rome and invented the Consualia festivals to gather with neighboring peoples in a celebration that included horse racing and drinking. During these distractions, Romulus's men kidnapped the daughters of the Sabines and took them as wives. Therefore, the famous Roman myth of the abduction of the Sabine women took place in the circus area.
In this almost legendary era, horse or chariot races would have already been held at the circus site. The width of the track may have been determined by the distance between the sanctuaries of Murcia and Consus at the southeast end, and its length by the distance between these two sanctuaries and the Ara Maxima of Hercules Unconquered, supposedly older than Rome itself and located behind the circus starting points. in Greek mythology, Poseidon, in the Greek hippodromes.[V] After subsequent developments, the altar of Consus, one of the protective divinities of the circus, was incorporated into the southeast turning post. When the Murcia stream was partially covered to form a dividing barrier (spina or euripus)[W] between the turning posts, its sanctuary was preserved or rebuilt. In late imperial times, both the southeast curve and the circus itself were sometimes known as Vallis Murcia.[38] The symbols used to count the laps of races also had a religious meaning: Castor and Pollux, who were born from an egg, were the patron saints of horses, jockeys, and the equestrian order (équites). Likewise, the later use of dolphin-shaped counters reinforced the association between racing, speed, and Neptune "Neptune (mythology)"), the god of earthquakes and horses; The Romans believed that dolphins were the fastest of all creatures.[21] When the Romans adopted Cybele, the Phrygian goddess of Mother Earth, as their ancestral deity, a statue of her on the back of a lion was erected inside the circus, probably over the dividing barrier.
The cult of the Sun and the Moon were probably represented in the circus from its earliest phases. Its importance grew with the introduction of the Roman cult of Apollo and the development of Stoic and solar monism as the theological basis of the Roman imperial cult "Imperial Cult (Ancient Rome)"). In imperial times, the sun god was the divine patron of the circus and its games. His sacred obelisk towered over the stadium from the central barrier, near his temple and the finish line. The sun god was the victorious charioteer, who drove his four-horse chariot (quadriga) through the celestial circuit from dawn to dusk. His partner Luna drove his two-horse chariot (biga "Biga (carriage)")); Together, they represented the predictable and orderly movement of the cosmos and the circuit of time, which found its analogy in the circus ring.[39] The temple of Luna, which was probably built long before that of Apollo, burned in the great fire of 64 AD. C. and was probably not rebuilt. Her cult was closely identified with that of Diana "Diana (mythology)"), who seems to have been represented in the processions that began the circus games, and with that of Sol Indiges "Sol (mythology)"), usually identified as her brother. After the loss of his temple, his cult could have been moved to the temple of the Sun on the dividing barrier or to one adjacent; both would have been open to the sky.[40]
The Mithraeum of the Circus Maximus was the underground temple dedicated to Mithras "Mithras (Roman god)"), known as Sol Invictus.
There were also temples of various deities on the nearby hills, with views of the circus; Currently, most have been lost. The temples of Ceres "Ceres (mythology)") and Flora "Flora (mythology)") were located close to each other, on the Aventine, approximately opposite the exit gates of the circus, which remained under the protection of Hercules. To the southeast, along the Aventine, was a temple dedicated to Luna "Luna (Roman mythology)"), the goddess of the Moon. The Aventine temples of Venus Obsequens "Venus (mythology)"), Mercurio "Mercury (mythology)") and Dis (or perhaps Summanus) stood on the slopes above the southeast curve. On the Palatine Hill, opposite the temple of Ceres, was the Temple of Cybele "Temple of Cybele (Palatine)") and, approximately opposite the temple of Luna, the Temple of Apollo, dedicated to the god of the Sun.
Various festivals, some of them of uncertain foundation, were celebrated in the circus in historical times. The Consualia, with its semi-mythical foundation by Romulus, and the Cerealias, the main festival of Ceres, probably predated the first historically attested "Roman Games" (Ludi Romani), held in the circus in honor of Jupiter "Jupiter (mythology)") in 366 BC. C.[41] In early imperial times, Ovid described the opening of the Cerealias (in mid-to-late April) with a horse race in the circus,[42] followed by the nighttime release of foxes into the stadium with their tails aflame with lighted torches.[43].