Roman gladiators were war prisoners and criminals, not sporting heroes
For centuries, the bloody gladiator conflicts that the Romans staged in amphitheatres throughout the empire have engrossed and repelled us. When it comes to gladiators, it is almost impossible to look away. But the arena is also the place where the Romans feel most foreign to us.
How to Stage a Bloodbath: Gladiators at the Roman Arena
Garrett Fagan explores the theatrical aspects of Roman arena games—the stage sets, equipment of the fighters, and so forth—that created an artificial landscape in which the violence of the spectacle was staged.
What the Gladiators ate
Gladiators mostly ate a vegetarian diet, and were referred to as ‘hordearii’ which means barley eaters’.
Gladiatorial games as a means of political communication during the Roman Republic
his article argues that the gladiatorial shows found their origin in the republic and were very popular. They therefore became frequent and were used for the most basic of political ends, namely votes for an election.
Famous Gladiators of Ancient Rome
Here is our list of the most famous gladiators of ancient Rome.
A Literary Criticism of the Classical Themes and Allusions Found in The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is a richly interwoven tapestry of numerous intriguing parallels to historical events and literary staples. Although set in a futuristic society, the chief inspirations for its narrative structure and themes are drawn from the ancient Mediterranean world. Classical themes and allusions permeate the first novel, and the connections to the classical are mythological, historical, linguistic, and stylistic in nature.
Spartacus Mythistoricus: Winning Spartacus into the Mythical
The Spartacus represented in these media is not the same Spartacus that the ancient sources wrote about. The representation of Spartacus’ history has changed dramatically over the course of time and has, in fact,
Young Achilles in the Roman World
Achilles is the only epic hero whose life can be followed quite literally from the cradle to the grave
Pliny, Nero, and the 'Emerald'
One notes here that Pliny does not actually explain why Nero should have preferred to watch the games in this way. The temptation is to assume that he must have been suffering from some sort of eye-condition, whether temporary or permanent, which he thought that he could relieve in this way, not least because the colour green was believed to be soothing to the eyes.
Violence in Sports: A Comparison of Gladiatorial Games in Ancient Rome to the Sports of America
Aristocrats’ funerals celebrated their victories and enhanced their reputations. Emperors presented the games to show the public how much power they had. Among the gladiators were thousands of prisoners of war.