An Ancient Roman Charioteer’s Astonishing £15 Billion Earnings Trumps Modern Athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe

It’s hardly a surprise for sports enthusiasts to witness the staggering earnings of today’s athletes, whether it’s through salaries, sponsorships, or a combination of both. High-profile football stars are certainly cashing in on their talents.

Athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe are fixtures on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. However, their earnings pale in comparison to an unexpected figure: an ancient Roman chariot racer. Researchers estimate that this charioteer, Gaius Appuleius Diocles, would have amassed an incredible £15 billion in career earnings in today’s currency.

Gaius Appuleius Diocles rose from humble beginnings as a slave to become a champion charioteer in second-century Rome. His earnings surpass even the highest-paid modern athletes. For context, former Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo earns approximately £112 million per year, primarily from off-the-field sponsorships.

In contrast, Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi is second on the list, earning £107 million, with an almost equal split between on-field and off-field earnings. Kylian Mbappe, who became the highest-paid player after signing a lucrative deal with PSG, ranks third, with £82 million from his on-field activities and a comparatively lower £16 million off the field.

The ancient charioteer, who was incredibly strong but illiterate, earned the equivalent of £625 million per year in today’s terms. Historian Peter Struck from the University of Pennsylvania unearthed these figures inscribed on a monument dedicated to Diocles by his fellow charioteers in Rome earlier this year.

The tribute to Diocles upon his retirement in 146 AD included the remarkable statement: “42 years, 7 months, and 23 days. Champion of all charioteers.” It also listed his total career prize money in the currency of the day, sesterces.

Professor Struck, Associate Professor of Classical Studies, commented on the comparison between ancient and modern sports, highlighting the grandeur of ancient Roman spectacles and the wealth that charioteers could amass.

As in the modern era, ancient athletes attracted sponsorships, with businesses eager to be associated with Diocles. Professor Struck noted that he was the best-paid athlete of all time, raking in a staggering sum of 35,863,120 sesterces in prize money over his twenty-four-year career. This extraordinary figure is documented in an inscription erected in Rome by his fellow charioteers in 146, hailing him as the “champion of all charioteers” upon his retirement at the age of “42 years, 7 months, and 23 days.”

Ancient athletes, much like their modern counterparts, were celebrated and financially rewarded for their talents, and Gaius Appuleius Diocles stands as a testament to the extraordinary wealth they could amass.