Why people watched gladiators

Exotic animals might be displayed and hunted in the early part of the programme, and prisoners might be executed, by exposure to the beasts. As the combat between each pair of gladiators reached its climax, the band played to a frenzied crescendo. The combatants as we know from mosaics, and from surviving skeletons aimed at the major arteries under the arm and behind the knee, and tried to batter their opponent's skull.

The thirst for thrills even resulted in a particular rarity, female gladiators. Above all, gladiatorial combat was a display of nerve and skill. The gladiator, worthless in terms of civic status, was paradoxically capable of heroism. Under the Roman empire, his job was one of the threads that bound together the entire social and economic fabric of the Roman world.

Not even Spartacus, most famous of all gladiators, has left his own account of himself. But shreds of evidence, in words and pictures, remain - to be pieced together as testimony of an institution that characterised an entire civilisation for nearly years. She is the author of an edition, with translation and commentary, of Book 4 of the Silvae, a volume of 'occasional' poems published in AD 95 by the Neapolitan poet Statius.

Professor Coleman has also written a number of articles about Roman spectacle, and was a historical consultant on Ridley Scott's film of , 'Gladiator'.

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Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets CSS if you are able to do so. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving. On this page Conscripts and volunteers Rules and regulations Fighting-styles Barrack life Criticism and popularity Find out more Page options Print this page. Conscripts and volunteers Today, the idea of gladiators fighting to the death, and of an amphitheatre where this could take place watched by an enthusiastic audience, epitomises the depths to which the Roman Empire was capable of sinking.

Barrack life The gladiatorial barracks were marked by heterogeneity. Hands on History: Ancient Britain. Travel back in time to Ancient Britain and create your own stone circle. The auditorium opens at p. The galleries and Museum Store will be open before and after the lecture. See all upcoming lectures and conversations on our event calendar. Get free updates about lectures and other great events.

Audacious and highly trained warriors, they were beloved and watched by the masses for more than years. The best gladiators were prized local celebrities of their day.

Therefore, most didn't fight 'til the death as quite simply their managers will have wanted to make as much profit out of them as possible. They were trained to wound, not to kill. Most matches would end with one seriously injured, but a survivor none the less. Despite this, the life of a gladiator was a short one. Most only lived to their mid-twenties many only until their late teen years and historians estimate that the average gladiator would likely only fight around ten matches until he met his demise.

Who can forget the infamous thumbs down scenes in the epic movie Gladiator? While in this movie it was interpreted as permission from the emperor for the gladiator to be killed, in Ancient Roman times, a thumbs down probably meant to give mercy. A thumbs up likely meant to kill the gladiator off. If this was the case, the other gladiator would usually kill him by slashing him in between the shoulders or straight through the heart.

While in popular culture we often see gladiators fighting tigers and lions, this was quite rare. It was only in the late Roman period when people began to grow bored of the Coliseum games and gladiators that it became more commonplace to use animals.

Hosting gladiator games was an easy way for Roman emperors to win the love of the people, but a few took it a step further and actually participated in combat. Several rulers performed in the arena including Caligula, Titus and Hadrian—though most likely under highly controlled conditions or with dull blades.

A deadeye with a spear, the deranged Emperor Commodus often tried to wow the crowds by killing bears and panthers from the safety of a raised platform. He also competed in a few gladiator fights, though usually against inexperienced fighters or even terrified and poorly armed members of the audience.

When he inevitably won the contests, Commodus made sure to reward himself with the massive sum of one million Roman sesterces. Though often dismissed as uncivilized brutes by Roman historians, the gladiators won massive fame among the lower classes. Their portraits graced the walls of many public places; children played with gladiator action figures made of clay; and the most successful fighters even endorsed products just like the top athletes of today. They were also renowned for their ability to make Roman women swoon.

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