Charlot races continued to be held at the Circus Maximus for almost a century after the last remnants of the Roman Empire had vanished. Eventually, the site was permanently retired, and public entertainment was reduced to small bands of traveling performers and animal trainers. It was during the Dark Ages that the circus began to develop into what we know today. The monarchs of Europe had court jesters, whose duty it was to provid amusement for the court. They combined the talents of jugglers, mimes, and clowns. The more common people enjoyed the performances of traveling entertainers, who went from village to village, putting on shows during festivais. These performers made up the medieval circus, which had little in common with the Circus Maximus other than adopting the word circus as its name. Leisure time was extremely rare during the Dark Ages, and people had few opportuities to enjoy circus performances. However, the circus survived to make a return to its former grandeur in the eighteenth century.