Gladiators

Who Were Gladiators:

Gladiators were combatants who fought against each other, condemned criminals and wild animals during the time of Roman Republic and Roman Empire. They were armed with deadly weapons and in most cases fought till either one of them accepted defeat or was killed fighting. Gladiators fought for the entertainment of Rome’s rich and mighty and also for public. People thronged the arenas to watch gladiator games and it may sound appalling to a modern man, but gladiator fighting was a popular sport in Rome, just like soccer is today. Roman people enjoyed sight of blood and carnage. They built amphitheaters like ‘The Colosseum’, where gladiator games were held regularly and were witnessed by excited crowds who cheered for their favorite fighters just like we cheer our favorite sportsmen and teams today.

Importance of Gladiator Games in Roman Society: Gladiator games were not only a source of entertainment for people but were also used by sponsors to gain political favors. Gladiator owners and sponsors of such games arranged extravagant gladiator fights in honor of dead citizens to gain favors from their powerful and rich descendants. In 65 and 63 BC, anti corruption laws were passed by senate to curb the custom of gaining political favors through gladiator games. The effort, however; did not succeed.

Gladiators were recruited from different sources. Some were slaves bought from different lands under Roman control, some were prisoners of war and most of the others were volunteers who at a time accounted for half of all the gladiators. These volunteer combatants were paid for their services and were generally skilled fighters. Most of the gladiators were Thracians, Gauls and Africans. There is evidence to suggest that females also participated in gladiatorial sports. Interestingly certain emperors like Caligula, Commodus, Titus and Claudius also participated in such sports. However, the fights involving emperors were designed to pose minimal risk to them.

Life of a Gladiator - New Recruits The Life of a Gladiator could be strict and harsh, especially for new recruits to the gladiator schools. During the period of the Roman Republic the newly recruited Gladiators were at first conscripted to the gladiator schools from slaves, criminals and prisoners of war. They had no choice. They were forced into the roles of gladiators. Some were sentenced 'damnati ad gladium' meaning they were condemned to death either by execution by sword or to fight until dead as a gladiator. These new recruits were heavily guarded they had no freedom. Life of a Gladiator - Different Types of Gladiators  When a new recruit, called a novicius entered one of the gladiators schools he was assessed by the lanista (owner of the school), a doctor and the trainers. He would first be checked by a medici (a doctor, not to be confused with the doctores) to ensure he was fit. Their physique would be assessed and a decision made as to what type of gladiator he would be trained as in the gladiator school. Would his physique be suited to wearing heavy armor or would light armor be preferable? At first the majority of gladiators were taken as prisoners of war. There ethnic background was reflected in the type of gladiator they would be and they would wear the armor and use the weapons of their homeland. Thus, some were called Thracians, Gallusand Samnites. As time moved on into the era of the Roman Empire old enemies became allies and gladiators were named according to the type of fights they fought in or the weapons they used e.g. Bestiarii (Beast Fighters) or  Retiarii (Net Fighters). The lanista and the trainers of the gladiator school made the decision how they would be trained and the type of gladiator that they would fight as (see Types of Gladiators) - the life of a gladiator was totally pre-determined. The Gladiator trainers who worked in the school were often retired gladiators who specialised in specific styles of fighting and weapons. The trainers were called Doctores. A Doctor who trained the type of gladiator called a Retiarius would be referred to as Doctores Retiarii whereas one who trained Secutores, was called Doctores secutorum. Life of a Gladiator - The Tiro and Tattoos The life as a gladiator started as a raw recruit who were called novicius. When they had completed their initial training and were ready to fight in the arena they were called Tirones gladiatores or Tiro. The Tirones often had tattoos applied as an identifying mark on the face, legs and hands in order to make it difficult to hide if they escaped. Life of a Gladiator - The Training The life as a gladiator and his training at first concentrated on getting the new gladiator to the peak of fitness. Their initial training did not involve using highly dangerous real weapons,. Wooden training swords called the  the rudus were used (lusoria arma). Gladiator Training focussed on the different fighting styles and weapons required by specific types of gladiators. Gladiators who fought in heavy armor were slower and required different techniques and skills than those of the gladiators who were lightly armed, who were fast and light. The different types of gladiators required customised training according to their armor, weapons and fighting techniques. Life of a Gladiator - The Daily Routine - Food The life as a gladiator started at dawn when their cells were unlocked and they were sent for the first meal of the day. Strict discipline was enforced and new gladiators were not allowed to speak at mealtimes and were bound in shackles unless they were training. New Gladiators were watched and guarded at all times. The new gladiators were seen as valuable commodities and were therefore well fed with a high protein diet. The life of a gladiator included eating three meals a day. The roman gladiator's diet consisted of meat or fish, bread, cereals and vegetables. Other types of food included barley, dry fruits, cheese, goat milk, eggs and olive oil. The gladiators drank only water. Life of a Gladiator - The Daily Routine - Hygiene  The life as a gladiator included attention to personal hygiene. Gladiators were given frequent massages and allowed to take hot and cold baths. When so many gladiators were forced to live in close proximity the medici would ensure that the threat of diseases and infection were kept to a minimum. The life of a gladiator in terms of food and living conditions was therefore often superior to the lower class of Romans. Life of a Gladiator - Free Gladiators The Life of a Gladiator held some appeal to free men. The living conditions of gladiators were good. And the role of a gladiator could be highly lucrative. Gladiators were paid each time they fought and they were allowed to keep any rewards and purses of money. The most successful gladiators were also treated like modern day 'Pop Idols' with fan worship, fame and glory. It is therefore not surprising that some free men enrolled as gladiators. These free gladiators were ex-soldiers and some were wealthy Romans who craved the adulation and the glory given to gladiators. Other free men simply needed money to pay off their debts. Their living conditions were much better than the conscripted gladiators and they were given much more freedom and were allowed to leave the gladiator schools, or barracks. In addition to this most gladiators were only expected to fight 3 - 5 times a year. So which was better life as a Roman Gladiator or life as a Roman Soldier? Life of a Gladiator - Comradeship and Families Close bonds were often formed between gladiators, despite the fact that they might be called upon to kill each other. The trained gladiators joined formal associations, called collegia, to ensure that they were provided with proper burials and that compensation was given to their families. It is a little known fact that some gladiators could marry, have children and even leave inheritances to their families. Gladiators could also own their own slaves. Once again for the free men or successful men the life of a gladiator was not all bad... Life of a Gladiator - The Last Meal The day before the gladiatorial games a public banquet was held for the gladiators which was called the coena libera. During this feast the gladiators were all determined to enjoy themselves as they were all aware it could be their last meal and their last day in the life of the gladiator. Life of a Gladiator - Death The life of a gladiator was lived on a knife edge in that he knew that he would have to face death in the arena. Roman gladiators were even taught how to die. They were expected to die with dignity, honor and no complaint. They were never allowed to show fear. Free gladiators had to swear an oath (sacramentum gladiatorium) and enter a legal agreement (auctoramentum) agreeing to submit to beating, burning, and death by the sword if they did not perform as required . Life of a Gladiator The content of this Life of a Gladiator category on life in Ancient Rome provides free educational details, facts and information for reference and research for schools, colleges and homework. Refer to the Colosseum Sitemap for a comprehensive search on interesting different categories containing the history, facts and information about Ancient Rome. Just like the subject of Life of a Gladiator there is hardly a page of Roman history and the Romans that is not, on some way, connected to the Roman Colosseum which became a symbol of Rome, its society, culture and life. http://www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/gladiators/life-of-a-gladiator.htm

Who was Spartacus

By far the most famous gladiator in history, Spartacus was a Thracian soldier who had been captured and sold into slavery.  Lentulus Batiatus of Capua must have recognized his potential, for he purchased him with the intention of turning him into a gladiator.  But a warrior’s fierce independence is not easily given up: in 73 BC, Spartacus persuaded seventy of his fellow gladiators—Crixus included—to rebel against Batiatus. This revolt left their former owner murdered in the process, and the gladiators escaped to the slopes of nearby Mount Vesuvius.  While in transit, the group set free many other slaves—thereby amassing a large and powerful following.

The gladiators spent the winter of 72 BC training the newly freed slaves in preparation for what is now known as the Third Serville War, as their ranks swelled to as many as 70,000 individuals.  Whole legions were sent to kill Spartacus, but these were easily defeated by the fighting spirit and experience of the gladiators.  In 71 BC, Marcus Licinius Crassus amassed 50,000 well-trained Roman soldiers to pursue and defeat Spartacus.  Crassus trapped Spartacus in Southern Italy, routing his forces, and killing Spartacus in the process.  Six thousand of his followers were captured and crucified, their bodies made to line the road from Capua to Rome.

http://listverse.com/2013/04/02/10-famous-gladiators-from-ancient-rome/

WARS AND BATTLES

The Ancient Romans fought many battles and wars in order to expand and protect their empire. There were also civil wars where Romans fought Romans in order to gain power. Here are some of the major battles and wars that the Romans fought. 

The Punic Wars 

The Punic Wars were fought between Rome and Carthage from 264 BC to 146 BC. Carthage was a large City located on the coast of North Africa. This sounds like a long way away at first, but Carthage was just a short sea voyage from Rome across the Mediterranean Sea. Both cities were major powers at the time and both were expanding their empires. As the empires grew, they began to clash and soon war had begun. 

There were three major parts of the Punic wars and they were fought over the course of more than 100 years,

• First Punic War (264 - 241 BC): The First Punic War was fought largely over the island of Sicily. This meant a lot of the fighting was at sea where Carthage had the advantage of a much stronger navy than Rome. However, Rome quickly built up a large navy of over 100 ships. Rome also invented the corvus, a type of assault bridge that allowed Rome's superior soldiers to board enemy navy vessels. Rome soon dominated Carthage and won the war.
• Second Punic War (218 - 201 BC): In the Second Punic War, Carthage had more success fighting against the Roman legions. The Carthage leader and general, Hannibal, made a daring crossing of the Alps to attack Rome and northern Italy. This crossing was made more famous because he also brought a large number of elephants with him. Hannibal was a brilliant general and won several battles against the Romans. However, despite fighting for 16 years, Hannibal wasn't able to conquer the city of Rome. When Rome counterattacked his homeland of Carthage, Hannibal was forced to retreat. The final battle in this war was the Battle of Zama where the Roman general Scipio Africanus defeated Hannibal.
• Third Punic War (149 - 146 BC): In the Third Punic War Rome attacked the city of Carthage. After three years of laying siege to the city, the Roman army broke through the walls and burned it to the ground.

The Battle of Cynoscephalae (364 BC) 

In this battle the Roman Legion under Titus Flamininus soundly defeated the Macedonian Army led by Philip V. This battle was important because the successors of Greek leader Alexander the Great had now been defeated. Rome had become the dominant world power. 

Third Servile War (73 - 71 BC) 

This war started when 78 gladiators, including their leader Spartacus, escaped and started a rebellion. Soon they had over 120,000 escaped slaves and others traveling with them invading the countryside. They successfully fought back many Roman soldiers until finally an army with a full 8 legions was dispatched to destroy them. The fighting was long and bitter, but eventually Spartacus' army was defeated. 

Caesar's Civil War (49 - 45 BC) 

This war is also called the Great Roman Civil War. Julius Caesar's legions fought against the Senate supported legions of Pompey the Great. The war lasted for four years until Caesar finally defeated Pompey and became Dictator of Rome. This signaled the end of the Roman Republic. 

The famous moment in this war was when Caesar crossed the Rubicon River. This meant he was going to war against Rome. Today the term "crossing the Rubicon" is still used to say that someone had reached the point of no return and can not go back. 

The Battle of Actium (31 BC) 

In this battle Octavian's forces, led by Marcus Agrippa, defeated the combined forces of Roman general Marc Antony and Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra VII. As a result Octavian became the sole power in Rome and would soon become Rome's first Emperor. He would change his name to Augustus when he became emperor.






http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_roman_wars_battles.php

Colosseum - Fun Fact Series EP29 | Mocomi Kids

Roman Soldier

Roman War!

Roman Army

Who was in the Roman army?

• Only men could be in the Roman Army. No women. Every Roman soldier was a Roman citizen. He had to be at least 20 years old. He was not supposed to get married while he was a soldier. Most soldiers in the Roman Empirecame from countries outside Italy. There were Roman soldiers from Africa, France, Germany, the Balkans, Spain and the Middle East.
  Soldiers had to stay in the army for at least 25 years! Then they could retire, with a pension or a gift of land to farm. Old soldiers often settled down to old age together, in a military town or colonia.

• What was a legion?

  There were about 30 legions in the Roman army. Each legion had between 4,000 and 6,000 soldiers, called legionaries. Each legion had ten cohorts. Each cohort was made up of six troops of about 80 legionaries, called centuries. Each century was led by a centurion. A centurion carried a short rod, to show his importance. He could also use his stick to beat any soldier who disobeyed an order. The officer commanding the whole legion was called a legate.

• • What other soldiers did the Romans have?

    Legionaries were the best Roman soldiers, and the best paid. There were other soldiers though. An auxiliary was a soldier who was not a Roman citizen. He was paid a third as much as a legionary. Auxiliaries guarded forts and frontiers, but also fought in battles, often in the front lines, where it was the most dangerous.
    Some soldiers had special skills. They shot bows and arrows, flung stones from slingshots, or could swim rivers to surprise an enemy - like modern commandos.
    Artillery soldiers fired giant catapults, called onagers in Latin, machines that fired rocks or balls of burning tar. The Romans used big wind-up crossbows, called ballistas in Latin, too.
    Usually, Romans liked to fight on foot. They used cavalry (soldiers riding horses) to chase a fleeing enemy. In a battle, the cavalry often lined up either side of the infantry (foot-soldiers).

  • • What armour and weapons did the Romans have?

      We know about Roman armour and weapons from Roman pictures and statues, and from finds by modern archaeologists.
      A Roman soldier wore armour made from strips of iron and leather (lorica segmentata in Latin). On his head was a metal helmet (galea). He carried a rectangular shield (scutum), curved so it protected his body. The shield was made of wood and leather.
      
      The soldier's main weapons were a short sword for stabbing (gladius) and a long spear, or javelin (pilum) for throwing. The javelin had a sharp iron point, and a thin, bendy shaft. When it hit an enemy's shield, the point stuck in, but the shaft bent. This made it difficult to pull out. The long spear shaft got in the way, so the enemy soldier had to throw away his shield.

    • 

      Artillery soldiers fired giant catapults called ‘onagers’. These machines fired rocks or balls of burning tar

      
      
      How well-trained were Roman soldiers?
    • Roman soldiers kept fit by running, marching and practice-fighting. They could march 20 miles (30 km) a day wearing armour. They could swim or cross rivers in boats, build bridges, and smash their way into forts. Each man carried his weapons and shield, some food and camping equipment (such as spare clothes, cooking pot and an axe or spade).

      

      This modern painting shows Roman soldiers at Birdoswald Fort (Hadrian's Wall). A centurion watches men training.

      Roman soldiers almost always obeyed orders. They usually fought in lines, marching forward with their shields facing the enemy. If they were being fired at from above (with arrows or rocks), the men would lift their shields over their heads for protection. They looked like a tortoise, so they called this formation the testudo (Latin for tortoise).

      
    • http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/the_roman_army/
    • http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zqbnfg8

Free Time

• Did the Romans have free time?

  Most people in Roman times did not have much spare time. They were too busy working. They liked games though. Soldiers often played board games with counters and dice. Counters and boards for their games have been found. Archaeologists aren't always sure of the rules!
  Hunting was also popular. People hunted animals for fun as well as for food. The Romans introduced fallow deer to Britain, just for hunting.
  Some things the Romans did for fun were horrible. They enjoyed fights between gladiators, and fights between people and animals. These bloodthirsty shows were put on in front of crowds in large arenas called amphitheatres.
  Roman emperors paid for free shows at theatres and amphitheatres. It was a good way to make themselves popular.

What did gladiators do?

Gladiators fought one another, usually in pairs. They also fought wild animals such as lions or bears. When a gladiator was beaten (but still alive), the audience would wave scarves or put their thumbs out if they wanted him killed. If he'd fought well, and they wanted him to live, they would close their thumbs onto their fingers. Different types of gladiators used different weapons. For example, a man with a sword and shield might fight a man with a three-pronged spear or trident, and a big net.

Theatre

Romans enjoyed the theatre. Most plays were funny comedies, though there were serious tragedies as well. Actors often wore masks to show whether their character was happy or sad! They also wore wigs - an old man had a white wig, a slave had a red wig.

Why did Romans like baths so much?

Roman baths were like leisure centres. You went there to relax, not just to get clean. The baths were open to everyone, and a good place to keep fit, meet people and do business.

When you went to the baths, you took off your outdoor clothes and warmed up with some exercises. Then, after a swim in the pool, you went into a series of heated rooms. You got hotter and hotter, to sweat out the dirt. You'd chat with friends while you sweated, and perhaps have a massage and rub down with perfumed oil. Then you (or a slave) would scrape off the dirt, sweat and oil with a metal scraper called a strigil. Finally, a plunge into a cold pool. Very refreshing! The best preserved Roman baths in Britain are in the city of Bath.

What happened in a chariot race?

In Rome there was a huge stadium called the Circus Maximus, used forchariot races. Chariot races were held in Britain too. These were thrilling, but very dangerous. Chariots were small two-wheeled carts, driven by one man and pulled by four galloping horses. They raced around an oval track. There were often smashes during the seven-lap races.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/leisure/

Engineering and Construction

The Romans put a great deal of effort into engineering. Roman engineering led to the building of some remarkable engineering feats that have survived to this day throughout western Europe  like roads, theaters, baths or Hadrian's Wall. Engineering was used as a way of improving the lifestyle of the Romans even on day-to-day issues such as a frequent water supply.

Roman engineering had a large influence on Roman architecture. Arches were used a lot due to their strength. The Romans also used domes as they enabled them to build large ceilings with wide open spaces. 

                                            All Roads Lead To Rome

The Romans were famous for their roads. Some Roman roads exist to this day, nearly 2000 years after they were made. Roman roads were superbly made. Why did the Romans put so much effort into building roads?

Rome made a great deal of money from trade in Europe. Some of this trade involved transport by sea. More frequently, the Romans used roads. Also with so much of Western Europe conquered by the Romans, the Romans needed roads to move their troops around quickly. Poorly built roads would not help this.

The roads were designed to last despite the environment. They were built using many layers of masonry including concrete. These durable roads are still used today. They were also built with a hump making water flow to the edges. This kept the roads from flooding and allowed them to be used in rainy weather. 

                                                                  Water Supply

Aqueducts were long channels that the Romans built to carry water into the cities. Many of the Roman aqueducts were below ground. The water that was carried into the cities was used for drinking water, baths, and sewers. It was generally carried to a public fountain where people could then use buckets to get their water. Roman plumbing became so advanced that many of the large wealthy houses had running water.

      

                                                The Roman Baths

One of the characteristic Imperial Roman building types is the giant bath complex which could house not only bathing facilities but lecture halls, gymnasia, libraries and gardens. Roman baths were more like a visit to a leisure centre than a quick scrub. The Romans loved the baths because they were a good place to meet people and business could be conducted there.
When you went to the baths you firstly changed out of your clothes and did some exercises. Then you might have a swim in the pool before going into a series of rooms which got hotter and hotter to help make you sweat off the dirt.

When the Romans were in these rooms they would often stop and talk to each other. All the dirt and sweat was then scraped off with a strigil and you had a swim in the cold pool. When you went to the baths you firstly changed out of your clothes and did some exercises. Then you might have a swim in the pool before going into a series of rooms which got hotter and hotter to help make you sweat off the dirt.

                                                       Roman Sanitation

The Romans also invented the best drains in the world. Towns and forts had underground drains to take away dirty water and sewage. They were flushed through with water from the baths so that they didn't get too smelly.

Fresh clean water and sewers are important because without them people often catch diseases from drinking dirty water or from sewage left around the streets and houses.

                                         The Roman System of Heating 

The Romans were good at building and engineering, but not so good at inventing machines. There were always plenty of slaves to do the nasty jobs, so nobody bothered to think up machines that could take their place. An example of this was central heating which involved lots of effort from Roman slaves. Public baths and rich people's houses all had central heating.
Houses were also centrally heated by what was known as a hypocaust. This was under-floor heating. Slaves were charged with keeping the hypocaust both clean and alight during the day. This system of heating was also used to keep some Roman baths hot.

Roman bath Pompeii

Roman bath Pompeii

                                               



  
























Running Water for the Wealthy

Houses also had water piped straight to them - unlike flats and apartments. Lead pipes brought water to a house. However, these pipes were taxed according to size - the larger the pipes, the more the tax. Archaeologists can usually tell the wealth of an owner of a Roman house by simply looking at the size of the lead pipes that brought water to that house.

                                                                  Bridges 

The Romans built long durable bridges. Many of their bridges still stand today. They used stone and concrete to build their bridges and used the arch as the basic architectural feature to make them strong. The largest Roman bridge ever built was the Trajan bridge over the river Danube. It was over 3700 feet long and 62 feet high. 

The Colosseum 

The Colosseum in Rome is a great example of Roman engineering and construction. The Colosseum was a large outdoor stadium that could seat around 50,000 people for various forms of entertainment such as gladiator games, mock battles, and dramas. The huge Colosseum is free standing and built with multiple arches to give it strength. Much of it still stands today, although earthquakes have knocked portions of it down. It is 615 feet long and 510 feet wide and took around 131,000 cubic yards of stone to make. 

The Pantheon

The Pantheon at Rome was built by Agrippa in 27 BC, destroyed, and rebuilt in the 2nd cent. by Hadrian. Remarkably well preserved, it is mainly of brick with a great hemispherical dome whose supporting walls are set in concrete.

Fun Facts about Roman Engineering

• The Romans built over 400,000 km of roads including 29 highways that lead to the city of Rome.
• The Latin word for road is via. The plural of via is viae. Roman roads generally had the name via in them, like the Via Appia or the Via Flaminia.
• All the aqueducts in the city of Rome together totaled around 500 miles in length.
• The Romans were among the first civilizations to harness water power.
• It is estimated that the Romans built over 900 bridges in their empire.

http://www.angelfire.com/hi5/interactive_learning/romanbuildingfiles/yr_7_roman_builbing.htm

http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_roman_engineering.php

A glimpse of teenage life in ancient Rome - Ray Laurence