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About this book
This sourcebook presents a wealth of material relating to every aspect of Roman spectacles, especially gladiatorial combat and chariot racing.
- Draws on the words of eye-witnesses and participants, as well as depictions of the games in mosaics and other works of art.
- Offers snapshots of "a day at the games" and "the life of a gladiator".
- Includes numerous illustrations.
- Covers chariot-races, water pageants, naval battles and wild animal fights, as well as gladiatorial combat.
- Combines political, social, religious and archaeological perspectives.
- Facilitates an in-depth understanding of this important feature of ancient life.
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Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access The Roman Games by Alison Futrell in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Ancient History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
50
THE
POLITICS
OF
THE
ARENA
Figure
1.1
Magerius
mosaic.
Gilles
Mermet/Art
Resource,
NY
echo
the
salute.
Inside
the
vocative
brackets
are
two
divinities
appropriate
to
the
arena
but
also
suitable
to
the
message
conveyed
in
the
representation.
On
the
left
is
a
winged
female
in
hunting
boots,
who
may
be
Nemesis/
Fortuna,
a
powerful
divinity
of
the
amphitheaters;
she
was
the
goddess
who
saw
to
the
appropriate
outcome
in
each
combat
and
also
safeguarded
the
financial
risk
of
the
sponsor
of
the
games.
On
the
right
is
a
youthful
god,
wearing
a
cloak
and
sandals
and
carrying
a
caduceus.
This
is
prabably
Mercury,
the
god
of
commerce,
who
in
the
arena
would
be
known
as
Hermes
Psychopomp,
who
leads
the
souls
of
dead
performers
through
the
gates
of
death
down
to
the
underworld.
The
divinities
gesture
toward
the
remaining
two
figures,
drawing
the
eye
of
the
viewer
further
inward.
Next
to
Nemesis,
an
unnamed,
well-dressed
youth
faces
out
toward
the
audience,
carrying
a
tray
loaded
down
with
bags,
each
labeled
1,000
denarii
,
representing
a
portion
of
what
Magerius
spent
on
the
games.
To
the
right
of
the
moneyholder
is
the
transcription
of
the
dialogue
between
Magerius
as
editor
and
the
audience.
Table of contents
- Illustrations
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 The Politics of the Arena
- Origin and Growth of Games
- Games and the Roman state
- Origins of gladiatorial combat
- Origins of wild animal shows
- Roman spectacle overseas
- Spectacle and Roman Politics
- Politics and shows
- Costs
- Control
- Violence
- Shows as political assembly
- Imperial Spectacle
- Ordinary spectacle
- The emperor and the arena
- The emperor and political spectacle
- Gladiators outside Rome
- 2 The Venue
- Republican Arenas
- Temporary structures in Rome
- Amphitheaters
- Disaster and control
- The Colosseum
- Military amphitheaters
- Special features
- Circuses
- Features of the Circus Maximus
- Circus as cosmos
- Naumachiae
- Stratification and Seating
- 3 A Day at the Games
- Preparation and Pompa
- Venationes
- Meridiani
- Munera
- The armatures
- The combats
- Good Spectacles vs. Bad Spectacles
- The Other Show: Audiences at the Games
- Dangerous games
- Special treats
- Food, spectacular food
- Sparsiones
- Inaugural Games at the Flavian Amphitheater
- Commodus’ Games
- Tainted by the Crowd
- 4 The Life of the Gladiator
- Where Did Gladiators Come From?
- Prisoners of war
- Condemned criminals
- Slave gladiators and the Spartacan war
- Gladiators and status
- Free gladiators
- Choosing gladiatorial status
- Glory
- Life in the Ludi
- Death or Survival
- Sexy Gladiators
- Death and Choice
- Gladiator Familiae
- Female Performers: Gladiatrices and Ludia
- Crimes of Status: Elites in the Arena
- Imperial Gladiators
- 5 Christians and the Arena
- Rome and the Christians: The Official Relationship
- The Neronian persecution
- Trajan’s policy
- Christian Denunciation of the Arena
- The Arena and Christian Identity
- Martyr Acts
- Christian Rome and the Arena
- 6 Chariot Races and Water Shows
- Chariot Races
- The events
- Charioteers
- The horses
- The colors
- Circus fans
- Emperors as fans
- Fan clubs and unrest
- The Nika revolt
- Water Shows
- Timeline of Roman History
- Glossary of Terms and Names
- Notes
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Index