The Millionaire Maverick Of Roman Racing: Gaius Appuleius Diocles

Racing to riches in the showbiz of Ancient Rome

A re-enactor at the Puy-du-Fou theme park in France. Photo by Sébastien Faillon— Wikimedia Commons

When it comes to ultra-rich athletes, names like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Cristiano Ronaldo come to mind. But their million-dollar deals pale in comparison to the staggering fortune accumulated by Gaius Appuleius Diocles, a chariot racer from the 2nd century AD.

When he retired at the ripe age of 42 he had amassed more than 35 million sesterces — roughly 15 billion dollars in today’s money. Not bad, considering Michael Jordan and his decades of Nike earnings can only boast a mere 3.3 billion.

Chariot Racing: An Adrenaline-Packed Pastime

Chariot racing was the NASCAR of ancient Rome: an immensely popular entertainment that mixed speed, skill, and good, old-fashioned violence.

Spectators watched the daredevil chariot drivers and their teams of horses race seven laps around a 2,000-foot-long, oval sand track, swerving to avoid competitors, jostling wheel-to-wheel at every turn, and darting like lightning on the straightaways. They went as fast as 40 miles per hour.

Not bad for a tiny wooden cart.