Chariot is a small two- or four-wheeled cart. It is operated by a standing driver and usually drawn by one or more horses. Chariots were among the earliest wheeled vehicles. They were probably first built in Mesopotamia, a region of the Middle East, around 3000 B.C. Two-wheeled chariots were used in battle by many peoples of ancient times, including the Assyrians, Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, and Romans. The wheels of some war chariots were fitted with scythelike blades that could severely injure enemy soldiers or horses. In time, chariot racing became a popular sport, especially in ancient Rome.
A light four-wheeled chariot called a post-chariot became popular in Europe during the 1700’s and early 1800’s. The cartlike body of a post-chariot was suspended over the wheels on leather straps, and the driver sat in a seat at the front. Post-chariots carried the mail and as many as four passengers.
