Posted on 05/02/2007 5:55:16 PM PDT by blam
Frickin’ awesome. Yeah, I know it’s been awhile, but those skulls look pretty traumitized. Good to see they got what was conbsidered as good healthcare in their day.
Frickin’ awesome. Yeah, I know it’s been awhile, but those skulls look pretty traumitized. Good to see they got what was considered as good healthcare in their day.
thank you very much for posting this
Were any of them identified as Maximus Desmas Meridius, General of the Armies of the North and friend and confidante of Emperor Marcus Aurelius?
I suspect that some interesting assumptions can be made about gladiatorial combat, that while less romantic, may be more realistic.
To start with, I imagine the vast majority of those killed were mostly condemned prisoners or low-ranking enemy prisoners.
This first group were either typical criminals, that are usually not very good fighters, and “one-shot” murderers who killed a family member. Low ranking enemy prisoners would have at least basic training, so they would be prime victims of experienced fighters, able to give some show before being killed.
As far as the successful fighters went, most of their fights would be against these two types, so the odds would be heavily stacked in their favor. This would let them rack up a lot of kills.
Some gladiators probably traveled a lot, as there were a lot of small amphitheaters all over the empire. A similar business model exists today for professional wrestling. First the local talent would have a some fights, then one or two big names would put on a show. This method gives pro wrestling the biggest box office of any professional sport today.
The major cities would host the big names in big events, and by accounts gambling was a major part of the show. The Romans were very strict about cheating, but at the same time the bookies would not want to lose their best talent, so arrangements would be made to improve their odds.
The blood lust of the crowds could be fed in the preliminary bouts often between fighting animals, or men and animals. Then you bring in a melee of expendables, a re-enactment of some historical battle, some races and other entertainment like wrestling matches, and then the big headliner event.
And you can almost guarantee that the politicians would want to give political speeches there, too, to let everybody know who was sponsoring the show.
There might even be the equivalent of cheerleaders, who would brag up fighters before a bout, then something like a small parade so the crowd could get to cheer their favorites.
When all was said and done, only the greatest of superbowl-style contests would end up with a bunch of real pro gladiators getting killed. There might have even been voluntary gladiators, like soldiers, who wanted to earn some money in the off-season.
Wonder if any of the lamps had the number 3 on them? 'Course it would be III.
I like gladiator movies.
Yeah, and when wounded and getting that medical care, they got IV’s...but they did not need “fours” they needed a transfusion.Ha!
bump
There goes my joke.
ping for gladiator-obsessed kid
One striking bit of evidence is that many have healed wounds.
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I would love to see a lot more about this. Nice for history channel or discovery channel to do a show about these finds.
So do I. That’s very interesting.
WTF?!!? Are some of those things women? Hermaphrodites?
That paints a pretty good picture of the fighting part, but it doesn’t capture the full essence of the Roman games. For not only was the bloodlust of the crowd stirred up by the combat, but the regular lust as well. And to service that lust the Colosseum in Rome had a whole arcade level filled with prostitute-slaves of both sexes, chained there for use (for a fee, which was apparently about the price of five to ten cups of wine, depending on the service desired, if the pricing murals at Pompeii are any guide).
Then of course there were the food vendors, as now, and the trinket vendors.
The Roman games were aimed at absolutely maximizing profit, both capital and political, by maximizing the pleasure of the paying crowds in every sense.
One of the first thing the Christians did when they became the official religion was to shut down the bloodsports and other activities of the arena. Killjoys.
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