Stadio di Domiziano, otherwise known as Circus Agonalis, was built in the year 86 A.D., and reportedly could fit 30 thousand spectators. Games were organized in it, every five years, to celebrate the Capitoline Jupiter. The competitions encompassed equestrian disciplines (horse races) and athletic ones, which included boxing bouts, wrestling, running, pentathlon (javelin throw, discus throw, dash, long jump and pankration, meaning a fight in which everything was legal except biting and scratching). The athletes taking part in these games, generally came from Greece and they were quite a bit more respected than for example, gladiators. For a victory they received Roman citizenship, they were freed from military service, more often than not they became the owners of the then Roman gyms, as we would say today health clubs.

The athletic competitions were accompanied by the aforementioned literary and music contests which took place in the odeon neighboring the stadium from the south, which itself could fit approximately 10 thousand spectators. The semicircular shape of the odeon can today be recalled in the façade of the Palazzo Massimo erected here, at Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Despite, the emperor’s good intentions and the desire to “civilize” Roman entertainment, the greatest popularity among spectators was enjoyed by boxing bouts and pankration. Athletic events did not arouse so much interest, while the literary and music contests were even less popular. The emperor catered to the tastes of his subjects. In order to attract a wider audience, which would also make him more popular among the Roman populace, in time he allowed for fights between women and midgets.

The stadium was 275 meters long and 106 meters wide. Its northern part was rounded, which can clearly be seen today in the shape of the buildings at Piazza di Tor Sanguigna, while the southern one – straight and slightly diagonal. This is where an enormous portico was found as well.

The Stadium of Domitian was created in a location, where since the times of Julius Caesar sports competitions took place, on a makeshift, wooden athletic stadium. It is worth noting that the Stadium of Domitian was at that time, the only brick stadium of its type outside of Greece. It was built out of brick and blocks of travertine and decorated with Greek statues or their copies, of which one survived (Pasquino). The entrances were found on the longer and shorter sides of the structure. The arcades around the stadium housed merchants, craftsmen and similarly to the Circus Maximus, brothels. In later years the arena of the stadium also served as a location of gladiator and wild animal fights. These fights as well as competitions took place here all the way until the beginning of the V century.

At the present, remains of the stadium can be seen at the Museo Stadio di Domiziano. Its enterance is situated in the same place where one of the main entrances to the stadium was located on the northern side. There we may witness boards depicting sports disciplines, reconstructions of gladiator equipment, terrain visualizations as well as remains of sculptures found during archeological works in 1936.