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Roman Gladiators and the Coliseum

Roman Gladiators and the Coliseum. The Coliseum. Travertine marble from Tivoli via a special road 527 meters in circumference 188m X 156m Arena area: 3,500 square meters Height 57 meters Awnings Seating 45,000 with another 5,000 standing. Typical Schedule. Morning – beast hunts

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Roman Gladiators and the Coliseum

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  1. Roman Gladiators and the Coliseum

  2. The Coliseum • Travertine marble from Tivoli via a special road • 527 meters in circumference • 188m X 156m • Arena area: 3,500 square meters • Height 57 meters • Awnings • Seating 45,000 with another 5,000 standing

  3. Typical Schedule • Morning – beast hunts • Lunch Time – executions • Afternoon – Gladiators • Usually about 10 days a year. Fans spent all day at the special event. • Individual gladiators only fought about 2-3 times a year.

  4. How did the Displays get put on? • The Government regulated Gladiators: • Set up Gladiator schools • Procuring wild animals – the more exotic the better! • Hippos, rhinos, lions, tigers, bears, ostriches… • Competition – Entertainment was the Goal! • Gladiators • Did not fight animals – animal fighters called beastiaries • Gladiators usually evenly matched to ensure a dramatic fight • Animal Fights – could have different numbers of animals and men as well as unusual fighting combinations

  5. Events • Each “festival day” planned to be an impressive event to draw in massive crowds. – each bigger and better than the last. • Creative pairings of animals or evenly matched trained fighters were sure to spark interest and ensure impressive fighting.

  6. Becoming a Gladiator • Usually recruited from slaves, criminals, and prisoners of war • Training a gladiator was expensive so the gladiator was considered the property of the trainer • Gladiator schools were called ludi

  7. Armor • Worn to ward off small wounds • Don’t want a gladiator unable to fight due to something minor. • Large wounds would be fatal anyway • Regulations on kinds of armor worn to ensure a fair fight • Helmets made gladiators look sinister • Maybe made killing a long time training partner a bit easier – metal mesh covered the eye holes.

  8. Armor

  9. The Gladiatorial Combat Itself • Gladiator Banquet the night before: public allowed to view the fighters (made for lively betting the next day) • Day of Combat • Gladiator parade • Weapons examined • Music • Betting

  10. Gladiator Specialties • Samite – carried a sword, rectangular shield, armor on right arm and left leg • Thracian – short sword (sica), and small round shield (parma) • Retiarius– no armor but had a net and a 3 pronged trident

  11. Decisions, Decisions • Gladiators fought to render the other fighter helpless • Once one fighter was helpless, the victorious gladiator turned to the sponsor to decide if the loser should live or die • The crowd sometimes swayed the decision • Thumbs Up = kill him • Thumbs Down = spare him to fight another day • If thumbs up the loser extends his neck to be killed. • Losing gladiators sometimes spared if they fought bravely

  12. Gladiators were low on social scale – usually began as prisoners or criminals • Gladiators could become heroes if successful fighters • If a gladiator survived 3-5 years they were often set free

  13. Did Combat automatically end in death? • No, a very successful fighter might eventually earn his freedom • Most eventually died in battle • Inscriptions on graves gave info about age and number of fights • Average gladiator age was 18-22

  14. Gladiator Games only one form of Public Entertainment • Theater and Plays • Chariot Races (really dedicated fans) • Gladiators • Religious Festivals • Readings and Speeches • Same people go to ALL of these types of events – people don’t tend to be as diverse today

  15. Gladiatorial Fights • Huge increase in scale over time • First match held at a funeral celebration in 264 BCE with 3 pairs of gladiators (an Etruscan tradition before this) • 216 BCE = 22 pairs of fighters • 183 BCE = 60 pairs of fighters • Julius Caesar has an event in 65 BCE in honor of his father that has 160 pairs of fighters • 107 CE Emperor Trajan has a 123 day festival with 10,000 pairs of fighters

  16. Roman Culture more Violent than Today • Gladiators • Beast Hunts • Public Executions • Naval Battles • Plays with Violence • Animal Sacrifices • There were no hospitals so people died at home

  17. Gladiator Shows Mirror Basic Issues of Roman Life • Military Training • Military Domination of the World • Gladiators as lessons in life • Examples of courage • Public executions were reassurance that crime didn’t pay

  18. Social Classes • The Coliseum brought together a variety of people but also defined them into groups • The watching and the watched • Social classes in the stands • Dress: Emperor wore a purple toga, senators a purple stripe on their toga, military displayed medals • Seating Area – high class was closer to the action • Entrances – separate upper class entrances to the arena

  19. Contemporary Mosaic

  20. Another Mosaic

  21. Movie Trailer… • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvTT29cavKo&feature=related

  22. American Gladiator

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