The History of Roman Gladiators

The Roman Empire is arguably one of the most dominant civilizations in world history. Their advances in politics, architecture, and military power helped them expand throughout the Mediterranean, Africa, Persia, and to the north towards modern Germany. One of the most recognizable aspects of Roman society was their fondness of gladiators.

The idea of Roman Gladiators arose far before Rome became an Empire. When Rome was still a republic (509 BCE - about 44 BCE), gladiator battles were around. These early competitions were just that: competitions. There was more honor placed on the victorious gladiator than in later times. The Romans had adopted Classic Greece's notion of placing honor on athletic competitions. Gladiator battles were often used to the honor the gods and depict historical battles.

It is hard to determine the exact date of the switch from republic to empire, but it occurred after Julius Caesar's assassination (44 BCE). His great grandnephew, Octavian Augustus, become emperor and marked the start of the Roman Empire (Spielvogel, Page 94). The empire was very much unlike the republic, with the mindset of the people switching. Whereas it used to be "for the better of Rome", it became "I want everything". Those who had power used it, and those who had wealth flaunted it. The empire became one of flash and waste. To keep the people satisfied, the emperor put on massive displays of entertainment. The most popular was the gladiator shows. Captured slaves would be forced to fight unfair battles against greater numbers, better armed and trained fighters, and even wild animals (Spielvogel, Page 103). The bloodier the fight, the more it was enjoyed. All over the empire giant stadiums called colosseums were constructed for the viewing of gladiator battles. The most famous was the Flavian Amphitheater in the city of Rome, built in 77 by slaves captured from Jerusalem. This enormous structure could seat thousands of people, and was used for gladiator battles, chariot races, and mock sea battles.

Often at these battles food was given out to the people. This was all part of the goal to gain public support. By keeping the people on their side, emperors were able to have sovereign power without question (Spielvogel, Page 104). Where gladiator battles used to be a test of strength and honor, they became gory shows of waste and disregard for life. Thousands of slaves and animals lost their lives, and all for simple entertainment for the masses. Gladiator battles are one of the best symbolic representations of the mindset of Romans during the peak of the empire.

References:

Spielvogel, J. Jackson. (2005). The Age of Augustus. Western Civilization

Spielvogel, J. Jackson. (2005). The Gladiatorial Shows. Western Civilization