Known and Unknown History of Roman Gladiators Gladiators are always known for the bloody fights to the death that HBO portrays, but that is not what happened in the time of the gladiators. Gladiators were not always slaves forced into battle. Gladiator fights were originally a part of a funeral service. Not all gladiators fought to the death when it came to the arena. There were many signs that could have meant death. Different classes of fighters lured in different types of crowds. For additional entertainment, animals got put into the arena as an opening event to get the crowd pumped. Women were also fighting for their lives in the arena. Gladiators started to form their own government to rule among one another. Emperors would show their “Referees oversaw the action, and probably stopped the fight as soon as one of the participants was seriously wounded” (Andrews np). Some of today’s sports could be of descent from the gladiators: MMA fighting. If the crowd became bored with the fight both men were able to leave with their honor and their lives (Andrews np). Both men were of equal skill level and one could not win so the ruler made the decision to continue the game so that the crowd would not rebel and grow tired of the games. This was a way for the emperors to maintain crowd control. “Since gladiators were expensive to house, feed and train, their promoters were loath to see them needlessly killed” (Andrews np). Most rulers would have the weakest fighter killed because they were not worth the money to keep around and feed. “Most only lived to their mid-20’s, and historians have estimated that somewhere between one and five or one in 10 [fights] left one of its participants dead” (Andrews np). All in all, not many gladiators lost their lives in the arena, it was mainly for entertainment for the many spectators that came to “The colosseum and other Roman arenas are often associated with gruesome animal hunts, but it was uncommon for the gladiators to be involved” (Andrews np). Since gladiators rarely participated, these hunts were left for emperors and other high officials in Roman time. “Animal hunts were typically the opening event at the games, and it wasn’t unusual for scores of unfortunate creatures to be slaughtered in a single exhibition” (Andrews np). The hunts were fast and right to the point, for the opening act to get the crowd fired up for the main event. “Convicted criminals and Christians were often thrown to ravenous dogs, lions, and bears as part of the day’s entertainment” (Andrews np). This was another form of human sacrifice and a way to keep the criminals down to a lesser number. When the Colosseum opened, over 9,000 animals lost their lives (Andrews np). These animals lost their lives in a 100-day festival that marked the opening of the
Consus where the opening sacrifices took place was located in the center of the Circus Maximus where the racing took place. Like racing, gladiators probably originated as funeral games, with religious significance attached to what in affect was the ritual sacrifice of the gladiators themselves. The first recorded gladiator fight was in 264BC, when 3 pairs of gladiators fought to the death during the funeral of Junius Brutus. The gladiator fights were known as munera as they were originally 'duties' paid to dead ancestors. They gradually lost their connection to funerals under the Roman Empire and became an important stage for emperors and leaders to put on spectacles for their own reasons.
The story of Gladiator takes place in Ancient Rome and contains intense action, great acting, and fantastic storytelling. Although most of this action drama is mostly fictitious, some certain events and characters appear in the history books.
The essence of the bloodthirsty entertainment was in the form of the gladiator. The word gladiator comes from the Latin for swordsman, from gladius or sword. The first gladiators were part of a sacrificial rite adopted from the Etruscans in 264, BC, nearly 500 years after the founding of Rome (Johnston 238). The sons of Junius Brutus first displayed gladiatorial combat when they honored their father at his funeral by matching three pairs of gladiators. Gladiatorial combat was originally part of a religious ceremony that was intended to insure that the dead would be accompanied to the "next world" by armed attendants and that the spirits of the dead would be appeased with his offering of blood (Johnston 286). Gladiators were generally condemned criminals, prisoners of war or slaves bought for this purpose. By the end o...
How did people become gladiators in ancient Rome? People became gladiators in ancient Rome from once being a slave, a prisoner of war, or from wanting to become rich and famous. In ancient Rome, anyone could be a gladiator. Mostly slaves, prisoners of war, and people who wanted to become rich and famous were the most common gladiators. There were other reasons people became gladiators, but these were the most common three. From once being a slave, a prisoner of war, or someone who wanted to become rich and famous.
Human nature during this time was rather inhuman. The gladiators were slaves, rebels, criminals, and Christians. They had to fight against each other. The fighters used anyway possible to win a fight. They had to because if they fought and made the crowd happy and get the emperor’s thumbs up; they can be released and live their life again. If the gladiator did not make crowd h...
Along with movie stars and musicians, athletes are arguably the most famous people to walk the planet. Most people think that athletes have become idols just recently but this is not the case. The first famed athletes can be traced back to Rome, these athletes being the gladiators. Now by watching movies or reading stories about gladiators it is easy to fall to the stereotype that pits them as bloodthirsty humans who kill for fun. This belief is mostly false and it is easy to forget where the gladiators came from. Most of them were forced to fight and did not do it for fun. The gladiators trained hard in order to perform well in hopes to finally win their freedom after a successful career. The gladiator games are misunderstood so it is now time to learn the truth about the famed gladiators.
Rome originally saved a few days for games, but toward the end of the empire, game days totaled 170. Most poor spend money gambling and drinking. During the millennium festival, more than 100 people and exotic animals were killed. The poor didn’t care about the empire to the extent that they welcomed the Germanic and Barbaric tribes. With the lack of spirit from its citizens, Rome began to fall into the deepest ruins.
The gladiators competed against one another for the sake of public entertainment at festival games. Although some gladiators fought wild animals, the combats usually featured a pair of male human contenders. They fought in diverse styles depending on their background and how much training they had endured. Originally as captured soldiers, they were made to fight with their own weopons.
A gladiators life was far from easy. Most were slaves, prisoners of war, or hardened criminals, therefore they were not free men. Often times they were trained and forced to take part in the events, hoping for their freedom if they were to conquer their grim fate and survived for a few years (wik). This was depicted in the most recent movie GLADIATOR. In this film Russel Crowe Maximus' starts out as an army general under Marcus Aurelius, until Commudus murders his own father out of spite for his fathers loyalty to Maximus and not him. He then inherits the title of king, and condemns Maximus to a gruesome fate as a slave/gladiator. Though this doesn't sound like the ideal life, to some at the time is was an appealing, so much so that some free men degraded themselves so they could battle in the games. Was it for basic living? Possibly but more than likely it was for the Fame and Prestige of a Gladiator. These free men were known as Professional gladiators.
Colosseum was used just for gladiatorial battles, the Colosseum was also filled water so the
There were four different genres of such entertainment in the games held in amphitheatres (Amphi-theatres are outdoor arenas. "theatres in the round": Amphi- meaning "round" in Greek.) : Gladiatorial combat, the theatrical execution of foreigners, beast shows, as well as chariot racing. Watching someone or a beast kill another was applauded for the method, skill, or artistry used in the slaughter. The games themselves provided ways for Rome to demonstrate the power of their empire, as huge investments of wealth, time, and emotion was put into the games. Death became a spectator sport with the viewers and the viewed both contributing to a wild and gory performance. Already by the late Republic magistrates were spending huge amounts of money on these games. The Latin word for gladiatorial games is Munus which means obligatory offering. This reflects the origin of these games as funerary offerings to the dead. While magistrates in the Republic may well have put on games to gain popular favour, this was in their private capacity and not as magistrates. Only gradually did the gladiatorial shows come to be assimilated with the games put on by magistrates.
During the middle and late third century, the Roman republic era gave rise to the arena games and became a great phenomenon for the Romans. An amphitheater, also known as a coliseum, housed these dangerous games that potentially harmed the audience as well as those who participated in them. Gladiatorial combat originated as part of funerals for deceased influential Romans. These large gladiatorial games were held by emperors during funerals of important roman officials, but were also included during other occasions. Over time the connection among the gladiator games and funerals decreased, and the upper class put on the games mainly to raise their social standing and gain favor with the public.
But Gladiators competed much differently than professional athletes do today. Gladiators were forced to fight for the entertainment of others and were considered slaves. (“The Roman Gladiator”). Gladiators did not just fight for friendly sport either, they had to fight to the death. This made the gladiatorial games so exciting for the people watching.
Gladiators were combatants equipped for arena battles. These battles were against other soldiers, conquered enemies, slaves, and criminals. Even wild beasts were added to be part of the bloody spectacle. Gladiators were a source of entertainment for Roman crowds, politicians and nobility at the Coliseum. It was the Roman equivalent to a Packer game at Lambeau field. A few gladiators were volunteers, but most were detested as slaves. Regardless of where they came from, gladiators allowed spectators to see an example of Rome 's military principles and, how to die an honorable death. The origin of gladiator combat is unclear, evidence supports that it became an important attribute of politics
The Colosseum, one of Rome’s most famous structures, is located east of the Roman Forum in Piazza del Colosseo in Rome, Italy. As a gift to the Roman people, Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty commissioned the Colosseum around AD 70-72. Titus, Emperor Vespasian’s son and successor, opened it officially in AD 80. The Colosseum is able to hold roughly 50,000 spectators, making it the largest amphitheater in Rome. The Colosseum is a symbol of how advanced Romans were in architecture and building. This monument represents strength, power, cruelty and violence. Thousands of people, most commonly criminals and professional fighters, even animals, have been killed inside the walls of the Colosseum.