Horsemanship was an important part of the Hittite culture of Anatolia, Turkey dating from 1400 BC. The 33rd ancient Olympic Games of 648 BC in Greece featured horse racing. The earliest horse race recorded in England was one held in about AD 210 at Netherby, Cumbria, among Arabians brought to Britain by Lucius Septimius Severus (AD 146—211), Emperor of Rome.

Information from Archives (e.g. 1983). Submitted for use in Scholastic’s Modern Marvels.