Stadium and Arena: Reflections on Greek, Roman, and Contemporary Social History
By Michael B. Poliakoff
Olympika Vol.2 (1993)
Introduction: The use of sport for social and political ends, so clearly seen in the 20th century, is not a recent invention, and I will argue in this paper that we will see precedents for it in Greece and Rome: that is to say, some amount of conscious planning underlay the development of stadium and arena and their activities. The observation that Greece and Rome developed substantially different forms of play and entertainment is not likely to occasion any surprise: these are, after all, different civilizations with profoundly different values. Although there are many times when the term Graeco-Roman is as precise as one can be, a sign of the mingling and interaction of Greek and Roman ways, the Greeks and Romans were also aware of how different their cultures were, and we have appropriate observations preserved, one of them by such a thoughtful man as Vergil. What I want to demonstrate in this article is that the differences that we will find between the world of the Greek stadium and the world of the Roman arena are consistent with larger societal patterns regarding the value of competition and the role of the individual in society, and we will find many contemporary issues mirrored in this history.
A brief examination of the role that sport and public shows have played in modern political and social interactions will help us frame the appropriate questions to seek the aetiology of ancient places of contest. John Hoberman has cogently demonstrated how acutely aware political theorists of the last century have been of the enormous power popular pastimes and spectacles can have. “The character of an adult is clearly manifested in his play and amusements … we are able, and indeed obliged, to give the satisfaction of this desire a higher artistic quality, at the same time making amusement a weapon of collective education…”
Click here to read this article from LA84 Foundation
Sponsored Content
Stadium and Arena: Reflections on Greek, Roman, and Contemporary Social History
By Michael B. Poliakoff
Olympika Vol.2 (1993)
Introduction: The use of sport for social and political ends, so clearly seen in the 20th century, is not a recent invention, and I will argue in this paper that we will see precedents for it in Greece and Rome: that is to say, some amount of conscious planning underlay the development of stadium and arena and their activities. The observation that Greece and Rome developed substantially different forms of play and entertainment is not likely to occasion any surprise: these are, after all, different civilizations with profoundly different values. Although there are many times when the term Graeco-Roman is as precise as one can be, a sign of the mingling and interaction of Greek and Roman ways, the Greeks and Romans were also aware of how different their cultures were, and we have appropriate observations preserved, one of them by such a thoughtful man as Vergil. What I want to demonstrate in this article is that the differences that we will find between the world of the Greek stadium and the world of the Roman arena are consistent with larger societal patterns regarding the value of competition and the role of the individual in society, and we will find many contemporary issues mirrored in this history.
A brief examination of the role that sport and public shows have played in modern political and social interactions will help us frame the appropriate questions to seek the aetiology of ancient places of contest. John Hoberman has cogently demonstrated how acutely aware political theorists of the last century have been of the enormous power popular pastimes and spectacles can have. “The character of an adult is clearly manifested in his play and amusements … we are able, and indeed obliged, to give the satisfaction of this desire a higher artistic quality, at the same time making amusement a weapon of collective education…”
Click here to read this article from LA84 Foundation
Sponsored Content