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Osprey Warrior #39
Gladiators: 100 BC–AD 200
The gladiatorial games of the Roman world comprised battle for entertainment and slaughter for profit. Although notorious for the use of prisoners of war, conquered slaves and condemned criminals as dispensable 'extras', some did volunteer for the gladiatorial profession. Spectacle was combatants were encouraged to draw their opponents' blood and prolong death. For citizen and caesar, the gladiators created drama through their violence - and the public loved them for it. This title relates how men, and women too, came to find themselves in the arena. As well as detailing the various types of gladiator, their weaponry and equipment, it reveals what training and daily life was like for each - and how this culminated in their stepping into the arena.
64 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 17, 2024
Had Taylor Swift been living 2000 years ago she and her posse would have headed down to the amphitheater to watch her boyfriend compete in the gladiatorial games. These games were not announced on radio and TV back then but by colorful artwork on the whitewashed walls of buildings. These were often sponsored not by the makers of wagons and Roman sandals but by some fellow running for public office.
If they got there early for the tailgate party they might wander among the vendor's selling souvenirs of the day's event. They didn't have jerseys back then, but she could have purchased a pot or cup with gladiators engraved on it. Her slave or dwarf, which any fashionable woman of means would own, would watch after her purchase.
When the time came for the entertainment to begin, she and her girls would produce their tickets, which were made of bone or wood, and would be shown to their seats, which were behind the ringside seats reserved for the politicians, generals, and men of wealth and power. Of course, being a lady of wealth she could use her backstage pass to go call on her lover before he competed. He might have left a piece of the graffiti about her on the walls like gladiators did stating something like, "She is one hot tamale!"
The games started with the day's contestants parading out into the arena. She would see her man and start yelling and waving to him. Being a good looking guy he would probably have been trained as a retiarius. These men were always the most handsome of the bunch and never wore a helmet. They only wore a small bronze shield on their left shoulder and some padding on the arm. In his left hand he carried the net, which he hoped to ensnare his opponent with before stabbing him with the trident that was held in his right hand. Other types of gladiators wore huge bronze helmets that enclosed their heads and carried fair sized shields.
The first to fight were all the criminals emptied out of the prisons. Nobody was really rooting for them. The mob, as these sports fans were referred to by the sports writers of the day, just wanted to see blood spilled. These men were usually all just killed off for entertainment value and to get rid of the burden of prisoners by the state. There were other scenes of bloodshed either between human fighters or between man and beast, which in those days could have been an ostrich or giraffe as much as a lion.
When the time finally came for Taylor's honey to enter the playing field he might be fighting alone or be one of several pairs fighting at the same time. His coach might be out there with him, shouting advice or smacking him with a stick if he wasn't putting forth his best effort. The fight wasn't just about winning but the show as well. If he slayed his foe right off the bat it would not have the same entertainment value as a drawn out bloody affair, sort of like 21st century Taylor's boyfriend catching the ball on a kickoff and running with it for a touchdown versus a hard fought play by play advancing the ball a few yards at a time before a spectacular finish.
Should he eventually get the upper hand and drive his opponent to his knees, it would be up to the crowd to either give the 'thumbs up,' meaning give him the iron, that is kill him, or 'thumbs down' meaning lower your sword and spare him. Being the victor, he would get the palm branch signifying victory and they would pass the purse around for him and Taylor might put in $100,000 or something. With these winnings he could buy his freedom if needed, or if he was a freeman and just did it for the sport, he would be rich.
Most gladiators retired by age 30 or were dead.
If Taylor's boyfriend was the one who lost and he got the 'thumbs down' and could live to fight again another day, and he would, unless his knee was shot, then he might have to settle for being a trainer.
If he got the 'thumbs up' and was dispatched with a blade to the neck, Taylor would just have to write a song about him and put it on his tombstone.
Before closing, I want to share something with you. Do you know how they sometimes explain where our modern words come from and sometimes refer to archaic Latin words? Well an 'editor' was one who sponsored games in order to increase their public profile while a 'doctor' was one who trained men to fight to the death.
If they got there early for the tailgate party they might wander among the vendor's selling souvenirs of the day's event. They didn't have jerseys back then, but she could have purchased a pot or cup with gladiators engraved on it. Her slave or dwarf, which any fashionable woman of means would own, would watch after her purchase.
When the time came for the entertainment to begin, she and her girls would produce their tickets, which were made of bone or wood, and would be shown to their seats, which were behind the ringside seats reserved for the politicians, generals, and men of wealth and power. Of course, being a lady of wealth she could use her backstage pass to go call on her lover before he competed. He might have left a piece of the graffiti about her on the walls like gladiators did stating something like, "She is one hot tamale!"
The games started with the day's contestants parading out into the arena. She would see her man and start yelling and waving to him. Being a good looking guy he would probably have been trained as a retiarius. These men were always the most handsome of the bunch and never wore a helmet. They only wore a small bronze shield on their left shoulder and some padding on the arm. In his left hand he carried the net, which he hoped to ensnare his opponent with before stabbing him with the trident that was held in his right hand. Other types of gladiators wore huge bronze helmets that enclosed their heads and carried fair sized shields.
The first to fight were all the criminals emptied out of the prisons. Nobody was really rooting for them. The mob, as these sports fans were referred to by the sports writers of the day, just wanted to see blood spilled. These men were usually all just killed off for entertainment value and to get rid of the burden of prisoners by the state. There were other scenes of bloodshed either between human fighters or between man and beast, which in those days could have been an ostrich or giraffe as much as a lion.
When the time finally came for Taylor's honey to enter the playing field he might be fighting alone or be one of several pairs fighting at the same time. His coach might be out there with him, shouting advice or smacking him with a stick if he wasn't putting forth his best effort. The fight wasn't just about winning but the show as well. If he slayed his foe right off the bat it would not have the same entertainment value as a drawn out bloody affair, sort of like 21st century Taylor's boyfriend catching the ball on a kickoff and running with it for a touchdown versus a hard fought play by play advancing the ball a few yards at a time before a spectacular finish.
Should he eventually get the upper hand and drive his opponent to his knees, it would be up to the crowd to either give the 'thumbs up,' meaning give him the iron, that is kill him, or 'thumbs down' meaning lower your sword and spare him. Being the victor, he would get the palm branch signifying victory and they would pass the purse around for him and Taylor might put in $100,000 or something. With these winnings he could buy his freedom if needed, or if he was a freeman and just did it for the sport, he would be rich.
Most gladiators retired by age 30 or were dead.
If Taylor's boyfriend was the one who lost and he got the 'thumbs down' and could live to fight again another day, and he would, unless his knee was shot, then he might have to settle for being a trainer.
If he got the 'thumbs up' and was dispatched with a blade to the neck, Taylor would just have to write a song about him and put it on his tombstone.
Before closing, I want to share something with you. Do you know how they sometimes explain where our modern words come from and sometimes refer to archaic Latin words? Well an 'editor' was one who sponsored games in order to increase their public profile while a 'doctor' was one who trained men to fight to the death.
March 7, 2014
Lovely book with terrific illustrations and some good information. Highly recommend this for any Gladiator enthusiast.
December 6, 2020
Sebagai bukan penikmat kisah sejarah (duh sepertinya semua juga sudah tahu ya ^_^), saya bisa menikmati buku ini. Banyak informasi yang menarik. Terutama seputar gladiator. Seandainya buku sejarah dibuat dengan cara seperti inj, bakalan menarik banyak orang membacanya. Termasuk saya.
June 25, 2021
Good, brief, illustrated overview.
January 12, 2013
Film ttg gladiator hampir sama banyaknya dg film ttg vampire atau zombie, mungkin. Sekarang waktunya melihat fakta. Yang ternyata tak hanya mengesankan, tapi juga mengerikan, sekaligus konyol.
November 17, 2011
1201st - 2011
Maximus, Maximus, Maximus!!!
Maximus, Maximus, Maximus!!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews