Circenses ludi, games performed in the circus at Rome. They were dedicated to the god Consus, and were first established by Romulus at the rape of the Sabines. They were in imitation of the Olympian games among the Greeks, and, by way of eminence, were often called the great games. Their original name was Consualia, and they were first called Circensians by Tarquin the elder after he had built the Circus. They were not appropriated to one particular exhibition; but were equally celebrated for leaping, wrestling, throwing the quoit and javelin, races on foot as well as in chariots, and boxing. Like the Greeks, the Romans gave the name of Pentathlum or Quinquertium to these five exercises. The celebration continued five days, beginning on the 15th of September. All games in general that were exhibited in the Circus, were soon after called Circensian games. Some sea-fights and skirmishes, called by the Romans Naumachiæ, were afterwards exhibited in the Circus. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 8, li. 636.
Circius, a part of mount Taurus. Pliny, bk. 5, ch. 27.——A rapid and tempestuous wind frequent in Gallia Narbonensis, and unknown in any other country. Lucan, bk. 1, li. 408.
Circum padani agri, the country around the river Po. Livy, bk. 21, ch. 35.
Circus, a large and elegant building at Rome, where plays and shows were exhibited. There were about eight at Rome; the first, called Maximus Circus, was the grandest, raised and embellished by Tarquin Priscus. Its figure was oblong, and it was filled all round with benches, and could contain, as some report, about 300,000 spectators. It was about 2187 feet long and 960 broad. All the emperors vied in beautifying it, and Julius Cæsar introduced in it large canals of water, which, on a sudden, could be covered with an infinite number of vessels, and represent a sea-fight.
Ciris, the name of Scylla daughter of Nisus, who was changed into a bird of the same name. Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 8, li. 151.
Cirræatum, a place near Arpinum, where Caius Marius lived when young. Plutarch, Caius Marius.
Cirrha and Cyrrha, a town of Phocis, at the foot of Parnassus, where Apollo was worshipped. Lucan, bk. 3, li. 172.
Cirtha and Cirta, a town of Numidia. Strabo, bk. 7.
Cisalpīna Gallia, a part of Gaul, called also Citerior and Togata. Its furthest boundary was near the Rubicon, and it touched the Alps on the Italian side.
Cispadāna Gallia, part of ancient Gaul, south of the Po.