Rope-dancing

The Greeks called a rope-dancer/rope-walker as schoenobates (σχοινοβάτης) and kalobates (καλοβάτης) and the Romans, funambulus.

Germanicus and the emperor Galba even attempted to exhibit elephants walking on the rope.

[2][3] In 165 BC, the first production of Terence's play Hecyra failed due to the rival attraction of rope-dancing, as recounted by the prologue.

[4] Hecyra est huic nomen fabulae: haec cum data Nova est novum intervenit vitium et calamitas, Ut neque spectari neque cognosci potuerit.

Hecyra is the name of this Play; when it was presented for the first time, an unusual calamity interrupted it, so that it could not be witnessed throughout; the people gave their attention to some rope-dancing.

Jacob Hall was a famous rope-dancer in London during the reign of King Charles II