Roman Gladiator Research Paper

In ancient Roman times, the slaying of gladiators in fights to the death served as immense forms of entertainment for Roman civilians. Though such practices may seem barbaric today, the institution of the arena for brutal sports is one of the defining features of ancient Roman civilization. The gladiatorial spectacle was put on by the wealthy of the community as a means of displaying their power. According to Professor Kathleen Coleman, gladiators were, “subjected to a rigorous training, fed on a high-energy diet, and given expert medical attention. Hence they were an expensive investment, not to be dispatched lightly.” (Coleman) In modern day America, the wealthy also stage forms of entertainment within the arena for the people’s enjoyment as well as the notoriety it brings. The National Football

Much like the blood offering given within the arena of gladiators as they fought to the death, violence is one of the factors that make the sport of professional football so entertaining. Fans of the game love to see big hits but the truth of the matter is that those big hits could be slowly killing players. “In my experience, every American male who put on a helmet for his high school when he was 16 years old…thinks he understands the level of hitting in professional football. He doesn’t. Not even close. But he can comfortably and safely act like it from his couch on Sunday afternoons, and argue the NFL players are richly compensated for the risks in catching passes over the middle.” (Layden). Most professional players aren’t being exposed to the real possibility of long term brain damage from the sport. This is entirely the fault of the NFL and those responsible should be required to assume full legal and moral responsibility. If this serious issue had been addressed when it should have and with the proper means, players like Junior Seau, Ray Easterling, O.J. Murdock, and Jovan Belcher might still be