Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Assignment One
Friday, September 5, 2014
Gladiatorial Games Colosseum: Romes Arena of Death
The Real Story Gladiator
The Roman Bloodsport
*Footnote: Colosseum is the correct way to spell it. This is because root word is
Cololus, which is slang for the place by the big sculpture, or colossus.
Special note: This observation took place over the first 35 minutes of three different
hour long films. The first film I observed was Colosseum: Romes Arena of Death.
The second was The Real Story- Gladiator and the third and final film was The
Roman Colosseum: THE REAL TRUTH. The timing of the observations is taking
place in actual time in the documentary.
Important Background Information: The observations that I took happened in many
locations in Rome over the years of 79 AD and later. Some important locations are The
Pit and the Colosseum. The pit was a roman quarry that supplied the capital with most of
its marble. Furthermore, the Colosseum was built from this marble to be a place where
the leaders of Rome could win back their people with large spectacles. It is also good to
know that these documentaries tell different stories on the how to become a successful
gladiator and how to earn the chance to gain freedom. As the films go on, they bounce
around from place to place with a narrator explaining what has happened in the mean
time.
Figured World: A large community that has laws and its own repercussions for
behavior in the society. A figured world would also have the same was of
communications and etiquettes through the society so everyone could understand each
other.
The Gladiatorial games can be simply broken down into violent sport. Before it was the
Gladiatorial games it was a Roman funeral for the prisoners of war. The prisoners would
fight to the death just like the gladiators did, but instead of a huge crowd, only Roman
soldiers would watch. Over time, it grew into a huge spectacle where politicians that
hoped to run for office would sponsor a couple of games to become more popular.
However in Rome, the community of practice was to send slaves and prisoners of war to
the Colosseum to train so they could die for the enjoyment of others. The purpose of the
Games was to get money out of deadbeats of the society by making them fight. Anyone
who became a gladiator was automatically named "infamis", which meant that they were
beneath even the lowest of citizens and became a slave to the arena. A gladiator, once at
the Colosseum, had to endure the harshest of trainings. This training included the use of
any weapon that was available and the rules of the arena. Once a gladiator had his
training, he would then head out to the arena and try to win. To win a gladiatorial fight, a
gladiator had to simply kill his opponent without being killed himself. If a gladiator won
he may become popular and maybe if he continued to win he could be given the wooden
Assignment One
sword, which meant his freedom. The more wins a gladiator won the more people would
come to see him fight. When more people who come to watch the fight, the roar of the
crowd increased with it. Popularity came with a price when you were a gladiator. With
more people coming to the Colosseum, the owner would then get the gladiator to fight
something that would be exciting. Many times the more popular fighters would fight
animals, like bears and lions, or they would fight multiple fighters at once.
Domain: An idea that the large community believes in and where they show their
commitment to the members of the community. The Domain is where many actors
spend most of their time because it rules their life.
Communities of Practice: A group of people (more than three) that have the same
goals and interests in the figured world. These people also have to communicate the
same way.
Upper class: It was common practice for the upper class to invite the influential
gladiators to their house for a party. This would make them spot to be for the
night and would make others talk about your party. Often, the owner of the house
who have a mock fight with the popular gladiator winning. Almost always these
parties were to show off wealth and to gain influence of other wealthy people.
Citizens of Rome: The common people of Rome had a practice of going to the
Colosseum to watch a gladiator fight animals or other gladiators. This act of going
to the games was almost like going to a football game now days. Everyone, no
matter who you were, was at the games to cheer on the gladiator of their choice.
Gladiators: All gladiators wanted to become famous so the Rome would come and
watch them fight. Also, gladiators wanted to be able to become free and the only
way to do that was to win, so all of them practiced their gladiatorial skills so that
they could never lose and win their freedom.
Practices of the Community: Habits that people all believe and they all communicate
in the same way. Its more than customs that a society believes in, it is something that
has been happening so long that the community couldnt live without it.
Assignment One
Additionally, people wishing to run for office, would use the games as a
political stunt to try and gain as many followers as possible by sponsoring
some of the games with their own money.
Fighting: Every Roman man was taught to fight either for fun or profession. It
showed how much of a man you were if you fought and won. It was this bravado
that lead to those fighting in the arena because they could become famous for
something that society valued among its highest principles.
Death: In Roman times death was everywhere. People were getting killed for
treason, in war and for stealing bread. It was this reason that as a community, the
killing of people for pleasure was so easily accepted and why people today think
it is so repulsive because we didnt live with the idea of death in everyday life.
Actors: People that have important jobs in the community. In other words people who
fill certain roles in society. For example, the leader of Rome is called the emperor and
his important job is to govern Rome.
Assignment One
Gladiators- The people that fought in the Gladiatorial Games. Many gladiators
were slaves or captives of war from the many Roman campaigns. At the very
beginning of a gladiators life they would have to swear loyalty to the Lanista and
do anything he asked. As he trained, he would be accessed to see if he was worth
putting in the arena. Once in the arena, a gladiator fought until he lost or his
Lanista said to stop. If a gladiator continued to win then he could make a name for
himself and live a very success life.
Artifacts: Something that the community couldnt live with without. It maybe physical
or an idea but it must be something important to the community. For example, an
artifact for the Untied States would be the Declaration of Independence.
Gladiatorial Games- The gladiatorial games represent the bloody and gruesome
nature of the Romans. What we think is completely over the top to us is
completely normal to them. This is because back then people died all the time if
they were executed and thats what many Romans thought these games were
about. Additionally, throughout the whole film we see that thousands of fans
come out and watch people fight to the death. Back then, this was a huge treat for
the citizens of Rome and would love whoever sponsored the event that was held
in the Colosseum.
Wooden Sword: This was the symbol of a gladiators freedom. To get the
wooden sword means that you have established yourself as one of the best
gladiators of that time period. Moreover, if you got one you would immediately
be free from your Lanista and could do what you want. Many winners of the
wooden sword would go back to their Lanista and train the new gladiators and get
paid for it. Finally, since the wooden sword was so rarely given out the gladiators
that did get the sword were many times made into legends and written about in
the history books.
Colosseum: The Colosseum itself
couldnt be lived without because
some many people depended on it to
get their entertainment. Without the
Colosseum, people would have to go
to the corners of Rome to watch the
fights where only about 2,000 people
could watch the fight, versus the
Colosseums 50,000 people it could
sit and it was in the middle of the
capital. Moreover, the Colosseum
was the symbol for Roman power because it showed Rome had the money and
manpower to build something that man had never seen before.
Assignment One
Word of Mouth: The most common way someone in Roman society would find
out about an event that was happening in Rome was from word of mouth. This
meaning that if someone wanted to become more influential then they had to do
something note worthy. Most of the time people who wanted power would spread
the word of a big fight that was happening at the Colosseum and if all went well
more people would believe what that man said.
Assignment One
24:00 minutes The arena that the gladiators fight in is a very small-enclosed space.
One by one, each gladiator is called out to fight. As the fights go on the narrator explains
that the common knowledge that a gladiator has to die to lose is rebuffed and tell us that
normally 90% of gladiators survive. More and more fights go on and some win and some
lose. One gladiator loses and goes to the doctor. We find out that the gladiators were
given the most advanced treatment at the time so that the Lansta didnt have to pay for a
replacement. The gladiator that lost asked to go back out because he knew that if he
didnt win he would never be sponsored to fight again. The gladiator goes out and is on
even terms with the fighter who has not lost that day. As the fighting continues the
gladiator wears down his opponent and wins. This win secures him a spot at the gladiator
school and some money because of his victory.
Observation Two: The Real Story Gladiator
9:00 minutes: The main reason for the Gladiatorial games was not entertainment for the
mob at first. It began 200 years before Christ and the main objective was a Roman
funeral for the prisoners of war. The prisoners would fight to the death just like the
gladiators did, all the while the Roman soldiers would watch. Over time, it grew into a
huge spectacle where politicians that hoped to run for office would sponsor a couple of
games to get his name out to the public.
12:00 minutes: Gladiators that are chosen are treated with the up most care. They are
provided with the best doctors in Rome and some of the best nutrition that can money can
buy. Their diet consist of mostly grain to help them bulk up as much as possible. By
bulking up, the gladiators gain extra layers of fat, which is to protect them from fatal
blows for weapons to the organs. Furthermore, the rich diet of grain also helps them build
up the muscles to handle a sword for an extended period of time. All the while the
gladiators are eating and healing up with the doctors, the gladiators train day in and day
out for 6 months until they are ready to fight in the arena.
15:00 minutes: Gladiators were trained into one of the seven different types of warrior.
The first was the Retiarius gladiator or who was also called the net man (seen first to
the right). He fought with a trident, dagger, and
a net and was the most agile of all gladiators.
This gladiator had very little armor and was the
only one allowed to retreat in the arena. The
Retiarius almost always fought the Mermillo
Fish man (seen to the far right). The Murmillo
had a roman legion shield and sword and had
armor all along his legs to prevent the net man
from just finishing the fight by hitting his legs
with the trident. The third gladiator was the
Egues and he was the only gladiator that was
allowed to wear a tunic for protect. The next
gladiator was called the Secutor. The Secutor
Assignment One
was one of the most popular gladiators because the way he fought was the most brutal
and gruesome since he would use his shield and sword combo to deadly efficiency. The
fifth gladiator type is the Hoplomachus. The Hopolmachus was a gladiator that fought
with a spear and could only be killed by hitting him in the chest since his head and legs
were covered in armor. The final two gladiators are the Provocator and the Thraex. These
last two both hack and slash type gladiators with the one difference between the two is
that the Thraex use a Thracian curved sword.
20:00 minutes: The Roman citizens wanted blood and gore, but didnt want slaughters
by a one sided fight. To make sure that this wouldnt happen the fights were set up so
each gladiator had an equal chance to win. Each fight had two gladiators that could
exploit each others weaknesses to win the battle. Even though each gladiator could
exploit each others weakness those who had more experience in the arena would
normally have the advantage. This is because the one gladiator that was more
experienced knew how his opponent would react to blows to the vital spots and use this
as an advantage. These seasoned gladiators would normally have successful careers in the
arena because they knew what it took to stay alive and win.
33:00 minutes: Gladiators could be compared to Olympic athletes now days. Many of
these would be nervous, but ready to fight because this is what they have trained for all
these months. Once the two gladiators went through the gate of life they would hear the
roar of the crowd and the anticipation of what will happen next kicks in. The battle would
commence and then the lives of the gladiators would be in the hands of the crowd. If both
gladiators fought bravely then both of them could walk away. However, if one lost a bad
battle then the crowd could tell the emperor to kill him for the enjoyment of the mob. It
would be at this point the winner or winners would walk back out of the gate of life. It
was common for a gladiator to become addicted to the feeling of walking back out of the
gates of life because he knew that he would live for another day.
Assignment One
died many gladiators would pick up his name hoping it would bring them fortune, just
like the man before them.
17:00 minutes- The greatest moment in a gladiators life is when he is rewarded the
wooden sword by the emperor of Rome. The giving of the wooden sword normally meant
that the gladiator who is receiving it had a once in a lifetime fight. Once the sword was
given it meant that the gladiator was free and could do as he pleases. Another way of
obtaining freedom was to buy it. Gladiators were given a percentage of there winnings
and if they saved it up they could buy their freedom from the Lanista. Often times the
gladiator that was set free would go and work for the Lanista as a trainer because he
would be paid for what he knew best.
22:00 minutes: During the gladiatorial games many different events would go on so that
the attendees wouldnt get bored. In the mornings, warriors would hunt many exotic
animals as they were released in the arena. This was also the only time that Roman
citizens could see the many exotic animals that the Romans caught on their conquests in
the east. At noon, public executions were held in the arena so everyone could be a
witness to his death and know why he is being executed. Then finally during the
afternoon the main gladiator fights would begin. The fights would vary from one versus
one to two battles of one versus one. It was during these fights that the population of
Rome would fill the arena completely.
32:00 minutes: The total amount of deaths during the games was immense. During the
opening day of the games over 5000 beasts were killed. The amount of gladiators that
were killed was around 11,000 over 100 hundred days. Since this number was so huge, it
was not uncommon for gladiators to kill themselves before the match because they were
scared of making a fool of themselves in the arena. The reason that the numbers of
animal and gladiator deaths were so large is that the emperors of Rome were judged by
what past rulers did and if the former leader had 100 gladiator matches, then he had to
match that number or in most cases beat it.
Interview One: From Colosseum: Romes Arena of Death
* Footnote for all interviews: The interviewees are professors or people that have vast
knowledge on Roman Gladiators. By having them know so much about gladiators, it
makes the interviews a valid piece of information that I can use later in my next
assignments. Finally, I used what the professors said in the documentaries to answer
my interview questions.
Give me an example of an ideal gladiator.
An ideal gladiator would be a man that can entertain the crowd with his flashy
swordsmanship and always win. An ideal gladiator would also be good looking so the
rich women of Rome will pay to be with the gladiator when he isnt fighting.
Assignment One
Assignment One
The rulers of Rome kept the games fresh by adding extra activities besides watching
gladiators fight. One of the most popular ideas of keeping the fights new was to add
beasts hunts in the arena. This would be the only time the poorer people of Rome could
see the animals and because of this it became very popular. Another activity Romans
added to the games was the act of playing music while the gladiators fought. The
orchestra would play as the two fight and the tempo of the music would rise and fall as
the two would attack each other. Finally, one emperor flooded the Colosseum so naval
battles could occur in the arena. However, this happened only once because it was too
expense to bring in that much water day after day.
What was a day like for the Colosseum?
The day began with criminals fighting for their lives against the many beasts of Europe.
This would last until noon, which was when the execution of roman captives began. After
the executions, a short break would occur allowing for people to go out and eat. Then
finally after the short break, the gladiators would come out and fight until sun down to
the entrainment of the crowd.
How was the demand for gladiatorial fights met?
The demand was met by creating a professional school where gladiators could learn to
fight. This made the slaves become professional fighters and it was the reason why the
Colosseum times were so successful because they had the fighting background to
entertain the crowd. Julius Caesar was the one who created this and he did it so the
people of Rome would only see the best entertainment.
What is the deeper meaning behind the Gladiatorial games?
The deeper meaning behind the gladiatorial games was the Romans need for control. In
the games, they have control over the animals and they have control over the lives of the
gladiator in their hands. This need for control drives them and when they get it they
become addicted and they want it everyday so they can feel the same thing again.
Explain why we could be like the Romans and put on fights to the death.
The reason why we could be like the Romans and put on fights to the death is because we
are still humans and we crave entertainment. The citizens of Rome grew up around death
and it was just another thing to deal with, unlike us today. If the tables were turned and
we had death around us, we could live though the pain of others getting hurt because
everyone of us is going to die just some are going to die sooner. Furthermore, none of us
will no better because if everyone were doing it then most likely we would follow suit
and watch the fights as well.
Assignment One
Pictures Cited:
Picture One"Commodus as Hercules Statue (Bible History Online)." Commodus as Hercules
Statue (Bible History Online). Accessed November 16, 2014. http://www.biblehistory.com/past/commodus_as_hercules.html.
Picture Two
"Gladiatorial Games." Gladiatorial Games. Accessed November 16, 2014.
http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/arena.html.
Picture Three
Accessed November 16, 2014. https://www.papermasters.com/romangladiators.html.