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Roman Entertainment: Gladiators By Bridget O’Sullivan
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Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Aug 11, 2020

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Page 1: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Roman Entertainment: Gladiators

By Bridget O’Sullivan

Page 2: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Gladiator ˈɡladēˌādər/

a man trained to fight with weapons against other men or wild

animals in an arena.

Page 3: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Origin of Gladiator Fights ● First gladiatorial fight occurred when

3 gladiators fought to the death

during the funeral of Junius Brutus in

264 BCE

● Eventually the Gladiatorial Games

distanced from funerals and became a

part of public entertainment

● We know this from ancient wall

paintings and mosaics depicting

Gladiatorial fights

Page 4: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Why have Gladiator Fights?● display of power by wealthy/Officials● Entertainment● "this class of public entertainment has passed from being a

complement to the dead to being a complement to the living." - Tertullian in De Spectaculis (XII)

Page 5: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Who organized the fights?● Sponsor of the games (the

editor) was usually the

emperor in Rome

● In the provinces the

sponsor of the game was a

high ranking official or

magistrate

● Sponsor led a parade to

start off the fighting

Page 6: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Who were the Gladiators?● Many different types of people were Gladiators

● Criminals

● Prisoners of war

● Slaves

● Most gladiators volunteered because they wanted to be famous or get

money

Page 7: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Roles of the Gladiators ○ Eques (“horseman”) ○ Murmillo (“fish”)

○Provocator (“attacker”)

○ Retiarius (“net-man”) ○

Secutor (“pursuer”)○ Thraex (“Thracian”)

Page 8: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Training of the Gladiators● The manager of the gladiators was called the lanista;

● lanista trained the gladiators in schools (ludi)

● all the gladiatorial schools in Rome were under control of the emperor

● The largest of these schools was next to the Colosseum and included a

practice amphitheater

Page 9: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Where were the fights?● Fights took place in an amphitheatrum

● the seating extended all the way around

the oval/elliptical arena, which was

covered with sand

● Early amphitheaters were built of

wood, but stone amphitheaters were

much more durable

● amphitheaters were freestanding and

they could be built anywhere.

● vendors set up their shops outside to

sell food and drinks, and there were

places outside for people to use the

bathroom

Page 10: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

The Coliseum● In A.D. 64, Vespasian decreed a new amphitheater would be built for

gladiatorial combats (the coliseum)

● ⅔ of the coliseum has been destroyed over time, however it is still one of

the most popular tourist destinations in Rome

Page 11: Roman Entertainment: Gladiators - Our Lady of Mercy Academyolma.org/ourpages/auto/2017/2/2/32033886/_Latin_Roman... · 2017-02-02 · Training of the Gladiators The manager of the

Myths about Gladiatorial Fights● They weren’t actually always slaves

● They were organized into different

classes and types

● Women also fought as gladiators.

● some Roman emperors participated in

staged gladiatorial fights

● Gladiators often became celebrities

● They didn’t always fight to the death

● Animals vs. human fights were rare