Chariot

A chariot is a light, wheeled vehicle drawn by one or more horses, developed independently in several ancient civilizations and used from at least the second millennium BCE for warfare, racing, hunting and ceremonial transport. Built with a small open platform for a driver and often a second occupant, mounted on two wheels for speed and maneuverability rather than load capacity, the chariot gave the armies and elites that mastered its construction and horse teams a significant advantage in mobility and prestige, most famously in ancient Egypt, the Near East, Greece and Rome. Chariot racing became a major public spectacle in the Roman world, staged in purpose-built circuses before enormous crowds, and the vehicle's military role gradually declined as cavalry, in which riders sat directly on horseback, proved more versatile on varied terrain.