Ampitheatre Flashcards
(15 cards)
What were Roman amphitheatres?
Oval-shaped public venues.
Divided into 3 parts.
2 main entrances.
Tiered seating: lower tier = upper classes & senators, middle tier = general public & men, higher tier = women & children (furthest from the action).
Staged gladiatorial events, wild animal contests & executions.
What was the amphitheatre in Pompeii like?
Two entrances - one where the gladiators entered, one for the corpses to be removed.
After expansion, it had a maximum capacity of 20,000 spectators.
The expansion added a new, grand main entrance for the higher class spectators.
Underneath the amphitheatre was storage & cells for gladiators.
What was the Roman Colosseum like?
Largest amphitheatre in the Roman Empire.
In the centre of Rome.
76 entrance arches for spectators, 2 for the Emperor, 2 for gladiators.
Emperor had his own “imperial box” with the best view.
Awnings were constructed to protect spectators from the sun.
Underneath there was a network of tunnels - with cages for wild animals, cells for gladiators.
Nearby, there were training facilities and treatment areas for the injured.
What shows did the Roman Colosseum hold and at what times?
Morning: animal shows.
Later: gladiators.
Shows ran from the Morning all day until the Evening.
What happened at wild animal shows?
Exotic and dangerous animals from across the Roman Empire would perform tricks, fight other animals or fight men.
These shows displayed the extent of Rome’s dominance and its achievements.
What happened at executions in the amphitheatre?
Convicted criminals were executed by wild animals or fighting to death.
These shows were for entertainment, but also to warn people to obey the emperor.
What happened at gladiatorial shows?
Fights between gladiators: mostly slaves - forced to fight (some were volunteers).
The fights usually lasted up to 20 minutes.
When one man was defeated, the victor would stand over him and wait for a signal from the Emperor: to kill or to spare: the Emperor would listen to the crowd to make his decision - showed that he engaged with his people.
In reality only 1/5 of defeated gladiators were killed - expensive to train.
When killed, an attendant dressed as Mercury (the escorted of souls) would remove the body.
What was a murmillo?
A heavily armed, hoplomachus-fighting gladiator.
Yielded a curved rectangular shield (like a Roman legionary) & a short sword.
Wore a fish-crested helmet.
What was a secutor?
A heavily armed, retiarius-fighting gladiator.
Yielded a short sword.
Wore a helmet with a visor & two small eye holes.
What was a hoplomachus?
A murmillo-fighting, Greek-hoplite-like gladiator.
Yielded a spear and a round shield.
What was a retiarius?
A lightly armed, “net fighter”.
Yielded a large net and a trident.
Had their head & face uncovered.
What was a thracian gladiator?
A gladiator who wore a crested, broad-brimmed helmet and yielded a small shield and a curved short sword (to cut flesh).
What was a bestiarius?
A gladiator who fought wild animals.
Usually had no armour or sword.
Fought with whips, spears and bows.
What did politicians do to sponsor the games (before the time of the emperors)?
They promised to fund public games in order to publicly advertise their political party.
Why did emperors sponsor the games in the amphitheatre?
To promote and display their power.
As they were in full public view in the imperial box, the people could see who provided them this extravagant entertainment - gaining good reputation throughout the public.
