Gladiators & Games

Gladiators & Games

UFC is for wimpsGladiators & GamesEtruscansFuneral games 216 BC first Roman ones 3 days of gamesOften during military campaigns or wars to raise moraleEventually accompanied by a feastGiven by everyone from local politicians to the emperorOrigins

Often slaves & POWsVolunteers allowedTrained in a school (ludus)LanistaeNos morituri te salutamusUsually kinda chubbyWooden sword rudisGladiators

Several variationsRomans vs. non-RomansKinds of Gladiators

Flavian Amphitheatre; 80 A.D.Colossus of Nero nearby -> ColosseumSeated 50,000 1/2 of Neyland StadiumBesides gladiatorial games:VenationesNaumachiaePublic Executions

The Colosseum

80 entrances; 3 levels = 240 archesAll 3 kinds of ancient columnsVelarium awningHypogeum underground; trapdoors

Architectural Features

Defeated gladiator couldbe killed or sparedVictor asks crowdEmperor/giver of thegames has the final sayPollice verso =with thumb turnedVictories and times spared recorded like amodern athletes statsReported on gravestonePopular and successfulgladiators would be morelikely to be spared

Pollice VerSo

Bread and gamesAppeasement of the masses through food and entertainmentAbandonment of civic duty by the massesMoral and political decline

Panem is from what?What are some other similarities?Panem & Circenses

Are we any different?