It is believed that the contests had their origin in human sacrifice among the Oscan or Samnite peoples of what is now central Italy. The sacrifices were to appease the spirits of the dead.
कारण राजकीय नेत्यांना निवडून देणाऱ्‍या नागरिकांत हे सामने अतिशय लोकप्रिय होते.