HISTORY 4130 6.0HISTORY 4130 6.0The Inauguration of the Flavian Amphitheater, The Inauguration of the Flavian Amphitheater,

AD 80AD 80

Genevieve DurigonGenevieve Durigon

Selected BibliographySelected Bibliography Martialis Martialis de spectaculus liberde spectaculus liber. . Shakelton Bailey, trans & ed (1993) Shakelton Bailey, trans & ed (1993)

Epigrams Volume IEpigrams Volume I (Harvard Unviersity Press) pp 12-39. (Harvard Unviersity Press) pp 12-39. Cassius Dio Cocceianus Cassius Dio Cocceianus LXVILXVI. E Cay & H Foster, trans (1925) . E Cay & H Foster, trans (1925)

Roman History: Volume IIIRoman History: Volume III Books 61-70 (Harvard University Books 61-70 (Harvard University Press) pp 311-313.Press) pp 311-313.

Suetonius Suetonius TitusTitus Kathleen Coleman (1997) ‘The contagion of the throng’: absorbing Kathleen Coleman (1997) ‘The contagion of the throng’: absorbing

violence in the Roman world. violence in the Roman world. Eur RevEur Rev 5: 401-4175: 401-417.. Alison Futrell (1997) Alison Futrell (1997) Blood in the arenaBlood in the arena (Austin, Texas: University (Austin, Texas: University

of Texas Press).of Texas Press). CIL, vol XIV, no 3,014 (=Dessau no 6,252)CIL, vol XIV, no 3,014 (=Dessau no 6,252) N Lewis & M Reinhold (2000) N Lewis & M Reinhold (2000) Roman Civilizations Volume IIRoman Civilizations Volume II 3rd 3rd

Ed. (New York: Columbia University Press) p 274. Ed. (New York: Columbia University Press) p 274. William J Slater, ed. (1997) William J Slater, ed. (1997) Roman theatre and societyRoman theatre and society. (Ann . (Ann

Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press) pp 68-112.Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press) pp 68-112.Chapter by J EdmondsonChapter by J Edmondson

Brief History of Brief History of the Amphitheaterthe Amphitheater

Concept of AmphitheaterConcept of Amphitheater Curio, 53 BCCurio, 53 BC

Wooden amphitheaters built shortly thereafterWooden amphitheaters built shortly thereafter First stone amphitheater in RomeFirst stone amphitheater in Rome

Built by Statilius Taurus, 29 BC.Built by Statilius Taurus, 29 BC. Provided venue for Roman SpectacleProvided venue for Roman Spectacle

Previously held in temporary structures in Previously held in temporary structures in open field or in the Forumopen field or in the Forum

http://int.tourisme.ville-arles.fr/UK/a2/a2a1.htm

amphitheatrumamphitheatrum CaesareumCaesareum

http://www.accla.org/images/vespasian.jpghttp://www.accla.org/images/vespasian.jpg

Vespasian

Titus

Domitian

http://www.accla.org/actaaccla/titus.htmlhttp://www.accla.org/actaaccla/titus.html

http://www.accla.org/actaaccla/domitian.htmlhttp://www.accla.org/actaaccla/domitian.html

AD 75

AD 80

AD 85

The Flavian AmphitheaterThe Flavian Amphitheater

http://www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/http://www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/

http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/gladiatr/colcoin.htmhttp://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/gladiatr/colcoin.htm

The Flavian AmphitheaterThe Flavian Amphitheater

http://www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/http://www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/

The Flavian AmphitheaterThe Flavian Amphitheater

http://www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/http://www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/

The Flavian AmphitheaterThe Flavian Amphitheater

http://subject.jccssyl.edu.hk/subjects/history/subhtml/library/images/Rome/COLOSSEUM.jpg

The Flavian AmphitheaterThe Flavian Amphitheater

Enormous capacityEnormous capacity 40-60,000 40-60,000

peoplepeople Architectural model Architectural model

for all other for all other amphitheaters amphitheaters

Symbol of Roman Symbol of Roman culture culture

http://www.gardkarlsen.com/rome/colosseum_from_Via_dei_fori_imperiali.jpg

The Inauguration of the ColosseumThe Inauguration of the Colosseum Cassius Dio Cocceianus (Book LXVI), Suetonius Cassius Dio Cocceianus (Book LXVI), Suetonius

((Titus, Titus, 7) & Martialis 7) & Martialis (de spectaculis liber)(de spectaculis liber) 100-day festival100-day festival

Naval battles (artificial lake)Naval battles (artificial lake) Infantry battles Infantry battles Gladiatorial Shows (Gladiatorial Shows (muneramunera)) Wild beast hunts (Wild beast hunts (venationesvenationes))

http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/martial.htmhttp://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/martial.htm

Marcus Valerius MartialisAD 43-117

http://www.roman-empire.net/articles/pics/gladiators-colosseum/StoraxRelief.jpghttp://www.roman-empire.net/articles/pics/gladiators-colosseum/StoraxRelief.jpg

Function of the AmphitheaterFunction of the Amphitheater Venue for Roman Venue for Roman

SpectacleSpectacle Particularly Particularly

bloodsportbloodsport munera munera

(gladitorial (gladitorial

shows) & shows) &

venationesvenationes

(wild beast(wild beast

hunts)hunts) http://www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_images/bestiarii.jpghttp://www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_images/bestiarii.jpg

Symbolism of BloodsportSymbolism of Bloodsport

OriginsOrigins Mythic & Religious AssociationsMythic & Religious Associations virtus virtus (Coleman 1997, Futrell 1997, Edmondson 1997)(Coleman 1997, Futrell 1997, Edmondson 1997)

http://www.nashfordpublishing.co.uk/archaeology/images/bignor_gladiators.jpghttp://www.nashfordpublishing.co.uk/archaeology/images/bignor_gladiators.jpg

Spectacle & Social RelationsSpectacle & Social Relations

Promotes social unityPromotes social unity Spectators vs. participants Spectators vs. participants

(Futrell, 1997 & (Futrell, 1997 & Edmondson, 1997)Edmondson, 1997)

Crime & PunishmentCrime & Punishment Reinforces Social Reinforces Social

Demarcations (Edmondson, Demarcations (Edmondson, 1997)1997) VerticalVertical HorizontalHorizontal

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rgls/ho_81.10.245.htmhttp://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rgls/ho_81.10.245.htm

Political PropagandaPolitical Propaganda

Provide entertainmentProvide entertainment Reassure the massesReassure the masses

Reenact historical events Reenact historical events and/or recent battlesand/or recent battles Social identitySocial identity Self-validatingSelf-validating

Distraction from bad Distraction from bad governmentgovernment

http://www.indiana.edu/~c494troy/Empire/tomb_gladiator_frieze.jpghttp://www.indiana.edu/~c494troy/Empire/tomb_gladiator_frieze.jpg

Gift Giving & Reciprocity for the Gift Giving & Reciprocity for the Politically AmbitiousPolitically Ambitious

Gauge/sway public opinion Gauge/sway public opinion (Coleman, 1997 & (Coleman, 1997 & Edmondson, 1997)Edmondson, 1997)

Give gift of entertainment to Give gift of entertainment to the masses and gain favourthe masses and gain favour Place in social order is Place in social order is

maintained or elevatedmaintained or elevated Or is it?Or is it?

http://www.fotosearch.com/thumb/ICL/ICL154/BIM_092.jpg

Thoughts to the Contrary:Thoughts to the Contrary:PotentialPotential Theme of Essay Theme of Essay

Bloodsport became an industry integral to the Roman bureaucracyBloodsport became an industry integral to the Roman bureaucracy

Spectacle became part of traditionSpectacle became part of tradition Effectiveness as a political tool is questionableEffectiveness as a political tool is questionable

Amphitheater as arena for social politicsAmphitheater as arena for social politics Over-statedOver-stated

The EndThe End

Any comments? Thoughts? Any comments? Thoughts? Concerns? Questions?Concerns? Questions?