Origins of the Gladitorial Games

Question 1

Origins of gladiatorial games

Answer 1

Etruscans or Campania

Question 2

How was the concept of gladiatorial games conceived?

Answer 2

Honouring a dead nobleman by two of his slaves fighting to the death at his funeral

Question 3

First gladiatorial games

Answer 3

264BCE

Junius Brutus had 3 pairs of gladiators fight to the death in Rome’s Forum Boarium in honour of his dead father

‘Munus’ - duty of remembrance owed to a dead man by his relatives

Question 4

What was the Forum Boarium

Answer 4

The main cattle market

Question 5

183BCE gladiatorial games

Answer 5

120 gladiators

3 days of funeral games

Question 6

100s BCE

Answer 6

Paid for by the state to win votes and support

Question 7

Julius Caesar and gladiators

Answer 7

65BCE, newly elected aedile

320 gladiators (Senate said this was maximum for a citizen to keep in Rome)

Question 8

Augustus and gladiators

Answer 8

Forbade the praetors to hold more than 2 munera a year

Could only use 120 gladiators
Could only spend 25,000 denarii

Augustus himself put on 8 per year, spending 180,000 denarii on each

Question 9

Trajan and the gladiators

Answer 9

Celebrated victories in Dacia
123 days
10,000 gladiators, 11,000 animals