Athletics In Ancient Roman Athletics

Athletics were one of the most significant aspect of ancient Roman culture. The Romans hugely celebrated athletics and viewed as a form of an entertainment. The Romans were mainly attracted and played the athletics for glory, military preparation and entertainment. This essay can be substantiated through the following categories: origin of athletics in Rome, athletes, and athletics. One of the most standout characteristics of the Romans was the capability to acclimatize cultures and traditions from the way of life and social orders which they experienced. Roman athletics were very impacted by the Greeks. Romans and Greeks shared very different culture, but Romans were quick enough to learn and adapt their games and sports. According to

After the Greek influence and the remodeling of Greek sports and games, Romans athletics grew vastly and became an important form of entertainment. The Romans were very attracted with the sports, such as boxing, wrestling, chariot racing, and gladiator battles. As soon as the athletics events arose in Rome, the sport flourished all over the Roman Empire and attracted competitors from all around the city. The competitors or athletes were enrolled from lower social class, offenders who have lost their citizenship benefits, slaves, and prisoners of war. These competitors were the individuals who battled in these Roman athletics for the glory, prizes, sporting prestige and freedom, which were given to the individuals who would win the contest. Whereas, the wealthy and the higher social class enjoyed spectating and wagering on matches. It was considered disgraceful for them to participate in any athletic events with the lower class and the criminals. However, Roman military took part in the athletics and it was a vital part of the Roman military. According to Athletic exercise in ancient Rome, “How could we imagine that the soldier-citizen, this legionnaire who, at least during the Republic, served in the armies who were to conquer the major part of the inhabited and known world, could have neglected a physical and athletic training that Greek hoplites considered necessary? Military preparation was,

According to Ancient Roman sports, Chariot racing was the most fun and enjoyed sport among the Roman sports. The games were hosted in festival, to celebrate a victory or honor certain gods. The games were hosted in Circus Maximus, a giant oval stadium that seated 200,000 spectators. Chariot race competitors or the drivers were generally slaves and convicts, regardless of the social classes or position there were some well trained drivers. If the slaves happened to be well trained and skilled in chariot racing, it could earn them a bonus of bondage. The chariot racing match started with twelve chariots, and race seven laps. Chariot racing was equally dangerous because the drivers could crash the chariots and get hurled outside, or end up under the broken chariot, or stepped by the fuming horses. Chariot racing was also considered the most expensive among the Roman sports and the winner would receive great amount of money and fame. Furthermore, the most popular and exciting sport was the gladiator battles. The spectators enjoyed this sport because it was considered one of the most brutal and merciless sport of all in Rome. According to Ancient Rome Sports, Roman invented the gladiator battles and it was a ritual of a blood offering at funerals of deceased rulers. Later, it turned into violent sport. The gladiators were recruited from lower class society by