Download - THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT!
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: