The richest athlete in history lived in Ancient Rome.

<p>Diocles was born and raised in the province of Lusitania (modern-day Portugal). His father&rsquo;s involvement in the transport business likely influenced his choice of hobby and subsequent profession. From 18, Diocles began to compete in chariot races in Ilerda (modern-day Spain). A string of victories earned him widespread popularity and prompted him to continue his sports career in Rome.</p> <p>Having settled in the capital, Diocles began performing at the largest 600-meter hippodrome, Circus Maximus, which had seating for 150,000 spectators. Initially racing for the &ldquo;white&rdquo; faction, which recruited charioteers from the lower social classes, he switched to the most influential &ldquo;green&rdquo; team at 24. Finally, at 27, the famed racer joined the &ldquo;Reds&rdquo;, where there were no top-tier participants at the time. Using his position, Diocles negotiated exclusive terms for himself with a reduced fraction of deductions.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/@ancient.rome/the-richest-athlete-in-history-lived-in-ancient-rome-60c0f42468e4"><strong>Learn More</strong></a></p>