The Gladiator Identity

Roman Spectacle

Think of it Like a Roman Pro Wrestling

Games began with Etruscans.

Used as a distraction/status symbol by elite classes.

There would be many different spectacles going on all around the empire.

Smaller areas would still have expensive productions, but the biggest and best would always be the spectacle put on by an emperor. With much more death.

Not Just Your Standard CombatFemale GladiatorsExotic Animals eg. Lions, Osrtiches Midgets?Armed vs. Un-Armed combatantsDon’t Forget the Noon Executions

Gladiator Combat As a Sport

• Munerarius, would usually decide fate of losing gladiator.

• Not all battles were to the death• Early historians of ancient games would not

classify combat as a sport• They did train like it was a sport• Chariot Racing more popular at the time

The dominating image of Rome

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L9g3kleANc

Bibliography• Ward Briggs; Layer Allusions in Gladiator; Arion: A Journal of

Humanities and the Classics , Third Series, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Winter, 2008), pp. 9-38

• Ushistory.org; Ancient Civilizations Online Textbook• Cartwright, Mark; Gladiator,

http://www.ancient.eu.com/gladiator/• Carter, M.J.; Gladitorial Combat: Rules Of Engagement, The

Classical Journal , Vol. 102, No. 2 (Dec. - Jan., 2006/2007), pp. 97-114

• Brown, Shelby; The Roman Arena, http://archive.archaeology.org/gladiators/arena.html

• Brown, Shelby; The Language of The Arena, http://archive.archaeology.org/gladiators/glossary.html