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THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT!. THE AMPHITHEATER (AMPHITHEATRUM). THE AMPHITHEATER WAS A BUILDING ERECTED TO HOUSE EXCITING AND VIOLENT PERFORMANCES FOR PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT. GLADIATORS WOULD OPPOSE EACH OTHER IN BATTLE TO THE DEATH. ANIMAL FIGHTS WOULD BE STAGED
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THE AMPHITHEATER(AMPHITHEATRUM) THE AMPHITHEATER WAS A BUILDING ERECTED TO HOUSE EXCITING AND VIOLENT PERFORMANCES FOR PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT. GLADIATORS WOULD OPPOSE EACH OTHER IN BATTLE TO THE DEATH. ANIMAL FIGHTS WOULD BE STAGED AND OTHER ACTS OF CRUELTY. THE GREAT DISPARITY BETWEEN RICH AND POOR AS ROME GREW IN SIZE INCREASED THE NEED FOR THE POOR TO BE ENTERTAINED BY FREE ENTERTAINMENT IN THE AMPHITHEATER. ROMANS BUILT AMPHITHEATERS WHEREVER POSSIBLE IN CONQUERED LANDS— THIS ENTERTAINMENT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF ANCIENT ROMAN LIFE. IN ORANGE, FRANCE IN CARTAGENA, SPAIN
AMPHITHEATERS WERE LARGE OVAL RINGS DESIGNED SO THAT GREAT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE COULD ENTER AND EXIT QUICKLY. ROMAN ENGINEERING ACCOMPLISHED THIS THROUGH AN EXPERT ARCHITECTURAL USE OF THE ARCH. SAILORS WERE STATIONED AT THE TOP TO COVER THE AUDIENCE WITH AN AWNING FOR PROTECTION FROM THE AFTERNOON SUN. VERONA, ITALY
GLADIATORSFROM LAT. GLADIUS=SWORD GLADIATORS WERE PRISONERS, SLAVES, OR SOMETIMES EVEN FREE MEN WHO WERE TRAINED TO FIGHT TO THE DEATH AS ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE ROMAN CROWDS. SOME COULD ATTAIN GREAT POPULARITY AND EVEN WEALTH, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY WERE FAR LESS FORTUNATE. GLADIATORS TRAINED WITH DIFFERENT WEAPONS IN DIFFERENT STYLES AND WERE PAIRED IN CONTRAST TO HEIGHTEN THE EXCITEMENT. THE CROWD WOULD SHOW ITS DECISION BY PUTTING THUMBS UP OR DOWN AT THE CONCLUSION OF A FIGHT, AND THE EMPEROR OR OFFICIAL IN CHARGE WOULD MAKE THE FINAL DECISION.
MURMILLO WITH DAGGER AND SHIELD MURMILLO VS THRACIAN
RETIARIUS STYLED ON A FISHERMAN RETIARIUS WITH NET RETIARIUS STABS SECUTOR WITH TRIDENT RETIARIUS AGAINST THRACIAN SPARTACUS IN THE FILM OF 1960
GLADIATOR FOOTWEAR THEN NOW
THE COLOSSEUM THE LARGEST, GRANDEST, AND MOST FAMOUS OF THE ROMAN AMPHITHEATERS WAS IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY OF ROME: ITS RUINS ARE A GREAT TOURIST ATTRACTION TODAY. CONSIDERED A MASTERPIECE OF ROMAN ENGINEERING, ITS CONSTRUCTION WAS BEGUN 70-72 AD UNDER EMPEROR VESPASIAN AND FINISHED IN 80 AD UNDER TITUS. BOTH EMPERORS WERE OF THE FAMILY FLAVIUS AND HENCE ITS OTHER NAME—THE FLAVIAN AMPHITHEATRE.
ONCE CAPABLE OF SEATING 50,000 SPECTATORS, IT HOUSED GLADIATORIAL COMBATS, PUBLIC SPECTACLES SUCH AS ANIMAL HUNTS, EXECUTIONS, AND EVEN SEA BATTLES, FOR WHICH THE FLOOR COULD BE FLOODED. EARTHQUAKES AND STONE-ROBBERS EVENTUALLY LEFT IT IN RUINS.
THE CIRCUS MAXIMUS SOUTHWEST OF THE PALATINE HILL LAY THE CIRCUS MAXIMUS—THE FIRST AND LARGEST OVAL RACETRACK IN ANCIENT ROME. ONCE A SITE FOR CHARIOT RACES THAT COULD HOLD 250,000 PEOPLE, VERY LITTLE IS LEFT OF IT TODAY. BOTH GLADIATOR FIGHTS AND THE CHARIOT RACES ORIGINATED WITH THE ETRUSCANS. MANY OF THE EARLY ROMAN KINGS WERE ETRUSCANS.
CIRCUS MAXIMUS AS WE THINK IT LOOKED AT ONE POINT IN ROMAN HISTORY
The main attraction at the Circus Maximus was Chariot racing. Four-horse chariots competed against each other, denoted by one of four colors: white, red, blue, or green. During these chariot races, betting was very common. The race went for a total distance of about 6.5 km (4 miles). The two sides of the track were separated by a raised median called the "spina". Statues of various gods were set up on the spina, and Augustus erected an Egyptianobelisk on it as well. At either end of the spina was a turning post, around which chariots made turns at dangerous speeds. Drivers were equipped with knives to cut themselves loose in case of a fall or crash. On the spina, there were rotatable metal dolphins that were turned down to mark laps around the course. Chariot racing was an extremely dangerous sport, frequently resulting in spectacular crashes and the death of one or more of the contestants. THE OBELISK NOW LOCATED IN A PIAZZA
CIRCUS MAXIMUS VIEWED FROM THE PALATINE HILL TODAY ANOTHER VIEW OF THE CIRCUS MAXIMUS TODAY
“BREAD AND CIRCUSES” In his Satire X the Roman poet Juvenal (circa 100 AD) used the Latin phrase panem et circenses (bread and circuses). He regretted that Romans no longer cared about civic duty and were willing to sell their votes, hoping for only two things—BREAD AND CIRCUSES. Politicians would give out cheap food and entertainment to please the crowds starting in 140 BC.. Today critics use the terms about our own populace. Do you see any similarities between then and now?
THEATER Greeks built their theaters into the sides of hills. Because of their architectural ingenuity in employing the arch, Romans could build free-standing theaters. They performed tragedies and comedies, but preferred the comedy.
ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ROMAN WRITERS OF ROMAN COMEDY WAS PLAUTUS--TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS (254-184 BC). HIS FARCICAL COMEDIES HAD STOCK CHARACTERS, PLOTS WITH A TWIST, AND WORDPLAY. HIS WORK INFLUENCED SHAKESPEARE AND EVEN PLAYWRIGHTS TODAY: THE BROADWAY HIT “A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM” IS BASED ON A NUMBER OF HIS PLAYS!
THERMAEPUBLIC BATHS IN MANY ASPECTS OF THEIR SOCIETY, ROMANS THOUGHT “BIG”. THIS WAS TRUE NOT ONLY OF THEIR WAR MACHINE, THEIR AMPHITHEATERS, AND RACETRACKS, BUT OF THEIR BATHHOUSES AS WELL. ALL ORDERS OF SOCIETY PARTICIPATED (WHEN TIME PERMITTED)—THE FEE WAS LOW OR FREE. MEN AND WOMEN BATHED SEPARATELY. THERE WERE ROOMS OF DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE— COOL, WARM, AND HOT. THE BATHHOUSES ALSO OFFERED FOOD, EXERCISE, LIBRARIES, AND SOCIALIZATION! THIS ASPECT OF ROMAN CULTURE COULD MAKE THE ROMAN WAY OF LIFE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO CONQUERED PEOPLES—FREE ONES, THAT IS, AS THE LABOR IN THE BATHHOUSES WAS SUPPLIED BY SLAVES!
SLAVES WOULD STOKE THE FIRES, SCRUB THE BACKS, HELP WITH DRESSING, SERVE, ETC.
NOVEMBER, 2010: AN 1,800 YEAR-OLDBATHHOUSE IS UNCOVERED IN THE JEWISH QUARTER OF JERUSALEM THE ROMAN STORY CONTINUES TO UNFOLD:
