Research Paper The Roman Gladiatorial Games "Remember, Roman, that it is for thee to rule the nations. This shall be thy task, to impose the ways of peace, to spare the vanquished, and to tame the proud by war." Quote from Virgil's Aeneid "We who are about to die salute you!" Gladiator (Latin gladius,"sword") The quote above was the gladiator’s cry as they saluted the Roman emperor, as they stood tall before the gathering crowd. They knew what was to come; some of them were slaves others criminals, a few were free men who fought because that is what they knew and understood. They were the entertainment that fed the bloodlust of the mob. They were participants in the Roman version of today’s ultimate sports and entertainment package. The Super Bowl, the World Series of their times, wrapped up with Ed McMahons the owner of the World Wrestling Entertainment franchise of over the top theatrics and the butchery of public executions. The gladiatorial events of the Roman games were the ultimate culmination of violence and excitement that will hopefully never be seen again. They fill our imagination as movies are made of and about them. Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” starring Russell Crow made in 2000 or Stanley Kubrick’s 1960 epic “Spartacus” starring Kirk Douglas. They are the subject of documentaries and magazine articles. They are part of the history of civilization a black mark on the pages of one the most powerful and influential empires to have been on this planet. They are a fascination that one can only attempt to explain. The Beginning The gladiator games appear to have been birthed from the Etruscans, a civilization north of Rome between the Arno and Tiber Rivers, a prior... ... middle of paper ... ...chariot races and hunting events and as Christianity took hold and social morality changed eventually the games came to end all together some time in 523 AD (Alchin). The Gladiator idea still lives and breathes today though in much less violent attitudes. It is stylized in books and in movies and the word is used to describe sporting contest from boxing to football. We still use the thumbs up or thumb down sign today to describe something as good or bad when it was used in ancient Rome by the Emperor or his second to grant life or death. We are caught up in the violence and try to understand how a people that brought such great art, architecture and the brilliance of a form of government that we emulate with our own in so many ways. We are curious and we let our imaginations wonder but we still in so many ways are captivated by the gladiator games of ancient Rome.
When it comes to being a tragic hero the character has to have the qualities of being a tragic hero. A tragic hero is where the main character of a tragedy whose fatal flaw leads to his or her destruction. Either the character was born into society as a great man or a slave, they may have carry
Hellenic culture in the Spartan community was that of a humble elite. True Spartan culture is well captured in Xenophon’s work, Spartan Society, as he wrote of how this elitist society viewed not only themselves, but the other countries around them. This work shines light into the three-part worldview of the ancient, Hellenic Spartans of: humanism, idealism, and rationalism. As Xenophon begins to write over the whole of the Spartan society it can be seen how the Spartans lived out the worldview of this Hellenistic society. This living out of the worldview recorded in Xenophon’s, Spartan Society, illustrates their worldview through the noting of Lycurgus’ accomplishments and the contrast of the “other.”
3. I often waged war, civil and foreign, on the earth and sea, in the whole wide world, and as victor I spared all the citizens who sought pardon. As for foreign nations, those which I was able to safely forgive, I preferred to preserve than to destroy. About five hundred thousand Roman citizens were sworn to me. I led something more than three hundred thousand of them into colonies and I returned them to their cities, after their stipend had been earned, and I assigned all of them fields or gave them money for their military service. I captured six hundred ships in addition to those smaller than triremes.
Ridley Scott’s film, “Gladiator,” portrays the sudden fall and heroic rise again, of a great Roman General named Maximus Decimus Meridius. Maximus’ monumental rise, and eventual vengeance, show the viewer, the greatness of this heroic character. A liberal humanistic critique, reveals that the film, has an inherent purpose or meaning, promotes the enhancement of life, and shows that human nature is basically unchanging.
The spectators came from all over the Roman Empire and various other regions, like Africa. The games became a way of entertaining the wealthy, as well as the common people.
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.
Stanley Kubick's Spartacus In the 1960 film Spartacus, directed by Stanley Kubrick, the character called Spartacus is depicted as a revolutionary who leads an army of slaves against the oppressive forces of Rome during the first century B.C. Though the overall story is true, and most of the main characters are real, the presentation of their character is entirely fictional. Spartacus and the other characters have been split into groups epitomizing good and evil, and the story itself has been vastly romanticized. This essay will address the ways in which the story deviates from reality and finally will show how Kubrick and those before him have used such interpretations as a valuable tool for social change.
The Gladiators – History’s Most Deadly Sport. New York: St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne Books, 2003. Potter, David S. and David J. Mattingly, eds. Life, Death and Entertainment in the Roman Empire. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1998.
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.
... we could still imagine the fame and the glory of the gladiators who fought here and sacrificed themselves for the Roman citizens. Regardless the bloodshed and the brutality of the Gladiatorial fights, the Colosseum’s appearance undeniably inspired many other great architectures in the world and served the Roman citizens with laughter and entertainment.
Rome, even at its beginnings, proved to be a force to be reckoned with. It’s rapid growth and accumulation of power and repeated victories over powerful neighbors set Rome in a position of great authority and influence. As the leader of early Rome, Romulus’ effective command of his men and governance of his people provided the foundation for the building of a great city. Livy emphasizes Romulus’ possible divine origins and strong ties to deities as a validation and reinforcement of his ability to rule. A nation’s sole defense cannot be just bricks and mortar, it requires an army and a will and Romulus was able to successfully take action against the aggressors when action was needed.
...re. Tourism is the most profitable industry in Europe and gladiators grab a tourist attention and bring them to Europe (“The Roman Gladiator”). Some businesses have reenactments to give tourist a taste of what it was like to watch gladiators compete. There are several museums dedicated to the history of gladiators how they affect the modern world today. Gladiators lived a grueling life and were known for their ability to fight in battle. Gladiators were the ancient idolized popstars we see today. The Life a gladiator was a hard one but if a gladiator was successful in the arena he could live a peaceful life as a free man.
Throughout the history of the Republic, there was a difference between the gladiatorial contests and other forms of spectacular entertainment. The Romans did not invent the concept of gladiatorial fighting; there is some uncertainty as to the exact source. One ancient source says it was the Etruscans, a non-Indo-European people who lived directly north of the Romans.
Gladiator (2000) is an action drama about a Roman general that is betrayed by his country and is forced to fight in the Colosseum. This particular scene, which runs for approximately 5 minutes, is the aftermath of the fight scene between Maximus, the betrayed general, and Commodus, the jealous emperor who betrayed him. This scene is not only significant because it is the concluding scene of the film, but also because it represents the end of Maximus’s enslavement and his coming to peace with dying.
Every four years the games where started on the first full moon after the summer solstice, lasting for five days. For over 1100 years, from 776 BC to 393 AD the games where played, thousands of people ceased all warfare and flocked to a small sanctuary in northwestern Greece for five days in the late summer for a single reason, to witness the Olympic Games.