A、Horse racing and wild animal competitions. B、Wild animal racing and athletic competitions. C、Horse hunts and athletic competit

During the civilization of ancient Rome, the circus was a building for large events. These included horse racing, athletic competitions and wild animal hunts.
    The eighteenth century British horse expert Philip Astley is often called the creator of the modern circus. He opened a riding school in London where he also performed dangerous tricks for the public. His shows grew to include performances by acrobats, clowns and strong men. Circuses are usually performed in a circular area called a ring. In fact, the word "circus" comes from the Latin word for "circle". Circuses became very popular in Europe during the nineteenth century.(5)Some European cities still have circus buildings which date from this period. These include Paris, France, Stockholm, Sweden, and Blackpool, England. In the United States, P.T. Barnum developed a circus show that included animals performing tricks and people with unusual skills. It began in 1870. At the time, it was the largest circus in American history. The two most famous American circuses were Barnum and Bailey and the Ringling Brothers. By 1907, the two companies merged into one.(6)It was a major event when a circus such as Ringling Brothers came to perform in a city or town. During the early twentieth century, this circus required about one hundred railroad cars to carry equipment, one thousand workers and hundreds of animals. Today, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus has two separate shows which travel across the United States by train.