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What shape were most ancient Greek stadiums?
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Stadium
Aerial view of Michigan Stadium, home to the gridiron football team of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Most ancient Greek stadiums were long and narrow, designed in the shape of a U or a horseshoe. These structures were often built by cutting into the side of a hill to provide seating for spectators, as seen at sites such as Olympia, Epidaurus, and Thebes.1
While the standard stadium was U-shaped, the Greeks also constructed hippodromes, which followed a similar layout but were built with greater width to accommodate chariot races.1