Fountains on the spina in Trier

The circus appears to date back to the earliest period of the history of Trier or Colonia Augusta Treverorum; the race track may have been created immediately after the city was founded. However, the hippodrome, which was about 450 meter long, became truly monumental in the first half of the second century. It was renovated after 293, when Constantius Chlorus moved his residence to Trier. We know that the monument was connected to the aqueduct, and we may assume that there were fountains on the spina.

On this photograph, taken of a model in Landesmuseum Trier last week, you can see that the circus is at the outskirts of city. You can't see that is quite near the amphitheater, which was integrated in the city wall.

The circus vanished completely. Currently the whole area is covered with houses. Heinz Cuppers, writes in 'Die Romer in Rheinland-Pfalz', that the circus was one of  the first buildings to be destroyed by the new inhabitans after the invasion of the Germanic tribes. It was relatvely easy to demolish and was used as a query. The sandy plain was cultivated soon afterwards.