Exam Study Material

Question 1

Who would become gladiators?

Answer 1

Slaves (Servus)
Condemned Criminals (Damnatus)
Free Volunteers (Auctoratus)

Question 2

What was the palm tree a symbol of?

Answer 2

Judaism

Question 3

What were the cons of being a free volunteer gladiator? (4)

Answer 3

• You’re no longer free
• Forced to do the bidding of someone else
• You couldn’t vote in elections or testify in court (infamia)
• You had to take an oath that you had to obey.

Question 4

What were the pros of being a free volunteer gladiator?

Answer 4

• You could gain money
• you could gain glory/fame

Question 5

When could slave gladiators gain their freedom?

Answer 5

At the discretion of their owner or audience demand

Question 6

When could condemned criminal gladiators gain their freedom?

Answer 6

After 5 years (3 years of fighting minimum)

Question 7

When could a free volunteer gladiator gain their freedom?

Answer 7

As specified in their contract

Question 8

What nationality was Spartacus

Answer 8

Thracian

Question 9

How many slave revolts were there?

Answer 9

3

Question 10

What was Spartacus’ slave revolt called?

Answer 10

The third Servile War

Question 11

Who bought Spartacus?

Answer 11

Gnaeus lentulus Batiatus

Question 12

what armature was Spartacus?

Answer 12

Murmillo

Question 13

How long was Spartacus’ Revolt?

Answer 13

73-71 BCE

Question 14

How big was Spartacus’ army?

Answer 14

Estimates say somewhere between 60k-124k

Question 15

Where was Spartacus’ final battle?

Answer 15

The River Silarius

Question 16

What modern perspectives are there of Spartacus (5)

Answer 16

• A just and heroic rebel promoting individual human rights and freedoms
• A symbol of national self-determination and unity
• A model of socialist resistance to economic exploitation and inequality in oppressive capitalist systems.
• A figure of resistance to injustices in general
• A symbol of gay liberation

Question 17

Could a freed gladiator lose their infamia?

Answer 17

No. You were forever infamis

Question 18

What were the steps in becoming a gladiator? (4)

Answer 18

• Swearing an oath (Sacramentum)
• Acquiring a Stage Name (Nomen)
• Adopting an Armature (Armatura)
• Being Ranked as a New Recruit (Tiro)

Question 19

What was a gladiator doctor?

Answer 19

Doctors were official trainers of Gladiators

Question 20

What is a Lanista

Answer 20

A lanista could be the owner of a gladiator school or the head trainer.

Question 21

What is a gladiator familia?

Answer 21

A familia is a family or household that the gladiators would live in together.

Question 22

Was it good to be called a Lanista?

Answer 22

No. lanista was a very lowly term that carried infamia. (similar to a pimp)

Question 23

How did editors get their gladiators? (3)

Answer 23

• Have their own
• Rent them out
• Hire a volunteer

Question 24

What were the types of gladiator schools? (Ludi) (3)

Answer 24

• Private
• Municipal
• Imperial

Question 25

How often would gladiators fight?

Answer 25

1-3 times a year

Question 26

What is a Ludia?

Answer 26

A ludus-girl. Doesnt have a concrete definition. It could mean a girl having anything to do with the gladiators. (sex, being a gladiator, trainer,etc)

Question 27

What are Paegniarii

Answer 27

They are playfighters

Question 28

What is Hoiden?

Answer 28

A term similar to the modern term of "tomboy"

Question 29

What are Gladiatrice?

Answer 29

Unofficial term for Women gladiators

Question 30

What gods did Gladiators pray to? (4)

Answer 30

- Hercules - Mars (men) - Venus (women) - Nemesis

Question 31

What were the causes of the disappearance of the gladiators? (3)

Answer 31

- Christian Attacks - General lack of interest - Too expensive

Question 32

Christian attacks on the Munera (3)

Answer 32

- Involved idolatry (worship of demons) - Corrupted audience members - Made audience members complicit in murder

Question 33

What were the 4 main factions of Chariot Racers?

Answer 33

Reds, Blues, Greens, and Whites. (Blues and Greens were by far the most popular)

Question 34

What is Naumachia?

Answer 34

Naval Battles

Question 35

What universal reasons did the Romans have gladiators for? (5)

Answer 35

- general need to experience violence, suffering, and death - Taking pleasure in another persons suffering - Means of coming to terms with death - means of controlling and negating aggressive impulses - Means of empowerment and releasing collective tensions

Question 36

What Roman-specific reasons did the romans have gladiators for? (5)

Answer 36

- Unique bloodthirstiness and sadism of Romans - lack of value given to life and individual freedom - Humiliation of enemies and glorification of Rome - Promotion of Military values - Sacrifice to please the dead or gods