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Who is the Richest Athlete of All Time?
Who is the richest athlete of all time? When asked this question, many think of prominent athletes of our generation such as Lionel Messi, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Floyd Mayweather. But what about Gaius Appuleius Diocleus? Probably to your surprise, Gaius Appuleius Diocleus is the wealthiest athlete of all time.
During his 24-year long career, Diocleus won 1,426 out of 4,257 races and came in second in 1438 of them as well. His feat was so great that the citizens of Rome erected his statue at the end of his career. The winnings from his races added up to 35 million sesterces, which converts to around 15 billion dollars in today’s currency.
The Roman chariot race was usually held in Circus Maximus, a famous stadium in the city of Rome. Charioteers were given a chariot with four horses, protective gears, and some sort of weapons to separate them when they get tangled with their opponents. Diocleus was infamous for purposely lagging behind at the start of the race and speeding up to win the race towards the end to make his wins look more dramatic. His theatrical abilities combined with his skills to win races quickly made him popular and wealthy.
Chariot racing is a sport first popularized in ancient Greece and remained the most popular sport in…
