THAT’S THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT!ENTERTAINMENT!

THE AMPHITHEATERTHE AMPHITHEATER(AMPHITHEATRUM)(AMPHITHEATRUM)

THE AMPHITHEATER WAS A BUILDING ERECTED TOHOUSE EXCITING AND VIOLENT PERFORMANCES FOR PUBLIC

ENTERTAINMENT. GLADIATORS WOULD OPPOSE EACH OTHER IN BATTLE TO THE DEATH. ANIMAL FIGHTS WOULD BE STAGED

AND OTHER ACTS OF CRUELTY. THE GREAT DISPARITY BETWEEN RICH AND POOR AS ROME GREW IN SIZE INCREASED THE

NEED FOR THE POOR TO BE ENTERTAINED BY FREE ENTERTAINMENT IN THE AMPHITHEATER. ROMANS BUILT

AMPHITHEATERS WHEREVER POSSIBLE IN CONQUERED LANDS—THIS ENTERTAINMENT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF ANCIENT

ROMAN LIFE.

IN ORANGE, FRANCE IN CARTAGENA, SPAIN

AMPHITHEATERS WERE LARGE OVAL RINGS DESIGNED SO THAT GREAT NUMBERS

OF PEOPLE COULD ENTER AND EXIT QUICKLY.ROMAN ENGINEERING ACCOMPLISHED THIS THROUGH AN EXPERT ARCHITECTURAL USE

OF THE ARCH. SAILORS WERE STATIONED ATTHE TOP TO COVER THE AUDIENCE WITH AN AWNING

FOR PROTECTION FROM THE AFTERNOON SUN.

VERONA, ITALY

GLADIATORSGLADIATORSFROM LAT. GLADIUS=SWORDFROM LAT. GLADIUS=SWORD

GLADIATORS WERE PRISONERS, SLAVES, OR SOMETIMES EVEN FREE MEN WHO WERE TRAINEDTO FIGHT TO THE DEATH AS ENTERTAINMENT FOR

THE ROMAN CROWDS. SOME COULD ATTAIN GREATPOPULARITY AND EVEN WEALTH, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY

WERE FAR LESS FORTUNATE. GLADIATORS TRAINED WITH DIFFERENT WEAPONS IN DIFFERENT STYLES AND WERE PAIRED IN CONTRAST TO HEIGHTEN

THE EXCITEMENT. THE CROWD WOULD SHOW ITS DECISION BY PUTTING

THUMBS UP OR DOWN AT THE CONCLUSION OF A FIGHT,AND THE EMPEROR OR OFFICIAL IN CHARGE WOULD

MAKE THE FINAL DECISION.

MURMILLOWITH DAGGER AND SHIELDMURMILLO VS THRACIAN

RETIARIUS STABSSECUTOR WITH TRIDENT

RETIARIUSWITH NET

RETIARIUSSTYLED ON

AFISHERMAN

RETIARIUS AGAINST THRACIAN SPARTACUS

IN THE FILM OF1960

GLADIATORFOOTWEAR

THEN NOW

THE COLOSSEUMTHE COLOSSEUMTHE LARGEST, GRANDEST, AND MOST FAMOUS OF THE ROMAN AMPHITHEATERS WAS IN THE

CENTER OF THE CITY OF ROME: ITS RUINSARE A GREAT TOURIST ATTRACTION TODAY.

CONSIDERED A MASTERPIECE OF ROMAN ENGINEERING, ITS CONSTRUCTION WAS BEGUN

70-72 AD UNDER EMPEROR VESPASIAN AND FINISHED IN 80 AD UNDER TITUS. BOTH EMPERORS

WERE OF THE FAMILY FLAVIUS AND HENCE ITS OTHER NAME—THE FLAVIAN AMPHITHEATRE.

ONCE CAPABLE OF SEATING 50,000 SPECTATORS, IT HOUSED GLADIATORIAL COMBATS, PUBLIC SPECTACLES SUCH AS ANIMAL HUNTS, EXECUTIONS, AND EVEN SEA BATTLES, FOR WHICH THE FLOOR COULD BE FLOODED.

EARTHQUAKES AND STONE-ROBBERS EVENTUALLY LEFT IT IN RUINS.

BUILD-ONE-YOURSELFBUILD-ONE-YOURSELFCOLOSSEUM BY HABA TOYSCOLOSSEUM BY HABA TOYS

THE CIRCUS THE CIRCUS MAXIMUSMAXIMUSSOUTHWEST OF THE PALATINE HILL LAY THE CIRCUS

MAXIMUS—THE FIRST AND LARGEST OVAL RACETRACK IN ANCIENT ROME. ONCE A SITE FOR CHARIOT RACES THAT COULD HOLD 250,000 PEOPLE, VERY LITTLE IS LEFT OF IT

TODAY.BOTH GLADIATOR FIGHTS AND THE CHARIOT RACES

ORIGINATED WITH THE ETRUSCANS. MANY OF THE EARLY ROMAN KINGS WERE ETRUSCANS.

CIRCUS MAXIMUS CIRCUS MAXIMUS AS WE THINK IT LOOKED AT ONE AS WE THINK IT LOOKED AT ONE

POINT IN ROMAN HISTORYPOINT IN ROMAN HISTORY

The main attraction at the Circus Maximus was Chariot racing. Four-horse chariots competed against each other, denoted by one of four colors: white, red, blue, or

green. During these chariot races, betting was very common. The race went for a total distance of about 6.5 km

(4 miles). The two sides of the track were separated by a raised

median called the "spina". Statues of various gods were set up on the spina, and Augustus erected an Egyptian obelisk on

it as well. At either end of the spina was a turning post, around which chariots made turns at dangerous speeds.

Drivers were equipped with knives to cut themselves loose in case of a fall or crash.

On the spina, there were rotatable metal dolphins that were turned down to mark laps around the course. Chariot

racing was an extremely dangerous sport, frequently resulting in spectacular crashes and the death of one or

more of the contestants.

THE OBELISK NOW LOCATED

IN A PIAZZA

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE CIRCUS MAXIMUS TODAY

CIRCUS MAXIMUS VIEWED FROM THE PALATINE HILL TODAY

CHARIOTEERSCHARIOTEERS

In his Satire X the Roman poet Juvenal (circa 100 AD) used the Latin phrase

panem et circenses (bread and circuses). He regretted that Romans no longer

cared about civic duty and were willing to sell their votes, hoping for only two

things—BREAD AND CIRCUSES. Politicians would give out cheap food and

entertainment to please the crowds starting in 140 BC..

Today critics use the terms about our own populace. Do you see any

similarities between then and now?

“BREAD AND CIRCUSES”

THEATERTHEATERGreeks built their theaters into the sides of hills.

Because of their architectural ingenuity in employing the arch, Romans could build free-standing theaters.

They performed tragedies and comedies, but preferredthe comedy.

ROMAN THEATER IN ORANGE, FRANCE

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ROMAN WRITERS OF ROMAN COMEDY WAS PLAUTUS--TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS

(254-184 BC). HIS FARCICAL COMEDIES HAD STOCK CHARACTERS, PLOTS WITH A TWIST, AND WORDPLAY.

HIS WORK INFLUENCED SHAKESPEARE AND EVEN PLAYWRIGHTS TODAY: THE BROADWAY HIT

“A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM” IS BASED ON A NUMBER OF HIS PLAYS!

THERMAETHERMAEPUBLIC BATHSPUBLIC BATHS

IN MANY ASPECTS OF THEIR SOCIETY, ROMANS THOUGHT “BIG”. THIS WAS TRUE NOT ONLY OF THEIR

WAR MACHINE, THEIR AMPHITHEATERS, AND RACETRACKS, BUT OF THEIR BATHHOUSES AS WELL.

ALL ORDERS OF SOCIETY PARTICIPATED (WHEN TIME PERMITTED)—THE FEE WAS LOW OR FREE. MEN AND WOMEN BATHED SEPARATELY.

THERE WERE ROOMS OF DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE—COOL, WARM, AND HOT.

THE BATHHOUSES ALSO OFFERED FOOD, EXERCISE, LIBRARIES, AND SOCIALIZATION!

THIS ASPECT OF ROMAN CULTURE COULD MAKE THE ROMAN WAY OF LIFE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO

CONQUERED PEOPLES—FREE ONES, THAT IS, AS THE LABOR

IN THE BATHHOUSES WAS SUPPLIED BY SLAVES!

A RECONSTRUCTION OF THEA RECONSTRUCTION OF THE33RDRD CENTURY CENTURY

ROMAN BATHS OF CARACALLAROMAN BATHS OF CARACALLA

SLAVES WOULD STOKE THE FIRES, SCRUB THE BACKS, HELP WITH DRESSING, SERVE, ETC.

NOVEMBER, 2010:NOVEMBER, 2010: AN 1,800 YEAR-OLD AN 1,800 YEAR-OLD

BATHHOUSE IS UNCOVERED IN THE JEWISH QUARTER OF BATHHOUSE IS UNCOVERED IN THE JEWISH QUARTER OF JERUSALEMJERUSALEM

THE ROMAN STORY CONTINUES TO UNFOLD: