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Product Description
Discover everything you need to know about gladiators with this brilliant book.
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First Sentence
Gladiators were made to fight to the death to please the crowd. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Gladiators were made to fight to the death to please the crowd. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The role of the gladiator in Ancient Rome has so often been misrepresented that it is like a breath of fresh air to read a more balanced report on how they lived and died. There lives were far removed from how they were depicted by Ridley Scott in the film Gladiator. This book goes into detail how their lives were mapped out for them.
The book tells us about the great spectacles that were held in the Flavian amphitheatre, better known at the Colosseum and many other places throughout the Roman Empire. Many pieces of equipment used by gladiators was recovered from the barracks that the gladiator's used close to the amphitheatre at Pompeii. Lying for all those years under the debris from the eruption of Vesuvius, these excavated pieces of gladiator `armour' are in wonderful condition.
One of the myths regarding gladiator's is that they always fought to the death. That is far from the truth. A gladiator took a long time to train and was an expensive piece of property to whoever owned them. On special occasions there would be fights to the death, between two men, or even a man or men against wild animals, but this was not always the case.
The Roman people who attended these events, did have, to us, an unhealthy lust for blood, whether it be the blood of criminals, Christians, prisoners of war or gladiators, it is difficult for our minds to comprehend. Certain high born Romans would spend enormous amounts of money on putting the Games on for the people of Rome, either to further their own ends or celebrate the birthday of a much loved son etc. In fact any excuse would do. Funeral games was another excuse for a frenzy of blood letting.
Of all the different events that took place in the arena it is the role of the gladiator that stands out more than anything else. He personifies everything that people think of when they think bring to mind the Colosseum, or Roman games in general. The book goes into detail on the various types of gladiator and the special names that were given to them. In fact after you have read the book there will be little that you do not know about these ancient warriors.
The book tells us about the great spectacles that were held in the Flavian amphitheatre, better known at the Colosseum and many other places throughout the Roman Empire. Many pieces of equipment used by gladiators was recovered from the barracks that the gladiator's used close to the amphitheatre at Pompeii. Lying for all those years under the debris from the eruption of Vesuvius, these excavated pieces of gladiator `armour' are in wonderful condition.
One of the myths regarding gladiator's is that they always fought to the death. That is far from the truth. A gladiator took a long time to train and was an expensive piece of property to whoever owned them. On special occasions there would be fights to the death, between two men, or even a man or men against wild animals, but this was not always the case.
The Roman people who attended these events, did have, to us, an unhealthy lust for blood, whether it be the blood of criminals, Christians, prisoners of war or gladiators, it is difficult for our minds to comprehend. Certain high born Romans would spend enormous amounts of money on putting the Games on for the people of Rome, either to further their own ends or celebrate the birthday of a much loved son etc. In fact any excuse would do. Funeral games was another excuse for a frenzy of blood letting.
Of all the different events that took place in the arena it is the role of the gladiator that stands out more than anything else. He personifies everything that people think of when they think bring to mind the Colosseum, or Roman games in general. The book goes into detail on the various types of gladiator and the special names that were given to them. In fact after you have read the book there will be little that you do not know about these ancient warriors.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Robert Matthews'`The Age of Gladiators' is a very decent survey study of gladiatorial games, chariot racing and the Roman triumph during both the Republican and Imperial Eras. Matthews provides good and accurate information on the origins and development of each of these public spectacles and whilst he is willing to venture some rudimentary analysis of the socio-political dimensions of Roman spectacle and entertainment, his book remains focused on its principal task which is to provide the reader with a basic introduction to the subject matter. To this end (and no doubt as a result of writing several history books aimed at secondary school pupils) Matthews has the happy knack of being able to maintain a balance between volume of information and a brisk and accessible writing style.
If you are looking for heavyweight academic discourse on public entertainment in ancient Rome then this isn't the book for you (try Thomas Wiedemann or Roland Auguet instead). If however you are looking for entry-level material as a prelude to serious study or if you just have a casual interest in the distinctively Roman penchant for ritualized violence then you will find this an entertaining and informative work.
If you are looking for heavyweight academic discourse on public entertainment in ancient Rome then this isn't the book for you (try Thomas Wiedemann or Roland Auguet instead). If however you are looking for entry-level material as a prelude to serious study or if you just have a casual interest in the distinctively Roman penchant for ritualized violence then you will find this an entertaining and informative work.
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