Racing & Athletics

Levels at a glance

	Level	Cost	Build time	Minimum settlement	Upgrades to		Level	Cost	Build time	Minimum settlement	Upgrades to
	Racing Course (Leisure)	3,500	4	large town	Stadion (Leisure)		Stadion (Leisure)	7,000	6	city	Hippodrome (Leisure)
	Hippodrome (Leisure)	10,500	8	large city	Huge Hippodrome (Leisure)		Huge Hippodrome (Leisure)	17,500	9	huge city	—

Costs in denarii, build time in turns.

Racing Course (Leisure)

Where the most fit show their skills.

This racing course is not much more than a leveled field with a length of several hundred meters, prepared for occasional chariot races. Often such courses are laid out at the ground of narrow valleys, so that the surrounding hillsides can be used as provisional stands. Real races on these courses are rare but very entertaining events, that bring some diversion to the daily life. When not used for races ordinary people can use it for informal sporting competitions.

Requirements: all of these must hold before this level can be built.

• Government Building (Dependency, Indirect Rule, Direct Rule or Homeland), Only one leisure building allowed and Local Market or a higher level is built here; or Any Temple

What it does

• +1 public order (happiness)
• recruits gain 1 experience
• taxable income -8 to -2, depending on how many settlements your empire holds

Religious belief: spreads 42 beliefs, by how much depending on what the region already believes.

Stadion (Leisure)

Greek Athletics the Roman way.

With the growing popularity of races, it has become necessary to build a permanent Stadium to satisfy the masses. They have the standard length of 600 feet, a length called the Stadion by the Greeks. The largest part is the stands, which can hold several thousands spectators. These grounds serve a dual purpose, preparing soldiers for the rigours of campaign while offering the populace some great entertainment. The most common events are foot races and other displays of athletics, but small horse and chariot races may also be held here.

Requirements: all of these must hold before this level can be built.

• You do not play a Germanic faction
• Forum or a higher level is built here
• Government Building (Dependency, Indirect Rule, Direct Rule or Homeland)
• Only one leisure building allowed

What it does

• +3 public order (happiness)
• recruits gain 1 experience
• taxable income -9 to -5, depending on how many settlements your empire holds

Religious belief: spreads 41 beliefs, by how much depending on what the region already believes.

Hippodrome (Leisure)

A sacred ground where men race for divine favour.

The Circus is similar in construction and function to the ordinary hippodrome, except that everything is bigger, better and more magnificent, worthy of the greatest metropolises of Rome. These buildings have lengths of over 500 meters and the capacity of their stands is high enough for nearly 100,000 spectators. In the vaults beyond the stands, near the entrances are located small shops and taverns that profit from countless visitors and make the Circus an even more attracting place. However, maintaining these buildings and holding great races is expensive and thus reserved for the rich and powerful. No Emperor or Governor can, however, afford to disregard the possibly more volatile effects of so many fanatic people concentrated in one place. A race can quickly turn into brawl which in turn can spark a revolt...

Requirements: all of these must hold before this level can be built.

• You play an Anatolian, Eastern Hellenistic, Western Hellenistic, Egyptian, Greek, Phoenician or Roman faction
• Forum or a higher level is built here
• Government Building (Dependency, Indirect Rule, Direct Rule or Homeland)
• Only one leisure building allowed
• Requires resource horses or horses supplied factionwide

What it does

• recruits gain 1 experience
• taxable income -12 to -8, depending on how many settlements your empire holds

Religious belief: spreads 42 beliefs, by how much depending on what the region already believes.

Huge Hippodrome (Leisure)

The greatest arena for the greatest races!

The Circus Maximus is a prestige building, used to stage highly popular races. These are fast, dramatic and dangerous. Situated in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it's the first and largest stadium of Rome, and can accommodate over 150.000 spectators. Individual teams attract fanatical followings, and race days can provoke powerful loyalties in the plebian mob. Deaths among the crowd are not unknown as rival supporters fight after particularly exciting or close-run events - not to mention those where there has been a lot of cheating! Victorious teams and athletes can also earn huge amounts of money, turning this event something extremely popular in Rome!

Requirements: all of these must hold before this level can be built.

• You play an Eastern Hellenistic, Western Hellenistic, Greek or Roman faction
• Large Forum or a higher level is built here
• Government Building (Dependency, Indirect Rule, Direct Rule or Homeland)
• Only one leisure building allowed
• Requires resource horses or horses supplied factionwide

What it does

• recruits gain 1 experience
• taxable income -14 to -10, depending on how many settlements your empire holds

Religious belief: spreads 42 beliefs, by how much depending on what the region already believes.

Traits and retinue

Traits

Retinue