Welcome to Gladiator Games - a place for people who are interested in Roman Gladiator History.
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Origins
Gladiatorial competitions originated in Ancient Rome as a way to honor a dead public figure. The first documented gladiatorial contest was at the funeral of Junius Brutus Pera in 264 BC. 3 pairs of gladiators were pitted against each other. The contest was a way to gain the attention of the Roman public to the significance of the deceased man and his heirs. After the funeral games gained popularity, gladiatorial contests soon became a staple for Roman entertainment. |
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Becoming a Gladiator
Criminals, fugitives, war captives, and deserters of the Roman legion were all eligible to become gladiators if they were lucky/unlucky enough to be purchased as a slave by a Lanista (an owner of gladiators). Free Roman citizens were also able to become gladiators, if they so chose, but they would be disgraced by Roman society for stooping to the social level of a slave. |
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The Infamy and Reverence of being a Gladiator
Gladiators were famous and infamous at the same time. Gladiators were revered for their ability to embody the characteristic of Roman nobility: to fight and die with honor. However, gladiators were, in a sense, slaves of the body. They were degraded socially like male prostitutes. Although, their form of entertainment was highly acclaimed, no upstanding Roman citizen wanted these types of people around in everyday life. |
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Female Admirers of the Arena
Women found the gladiatorial games just as exciting as men did, except in a more sexual way. The Retiarii class of gladiators was referred to as the 'netter of girls by night'. The Thraex class was another favorite to women because most of their body was visible during a match. Due to their sexual excitement during the games, it was not uncommon for noble Roman women to have sexual relations with a gladiator. |
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A Typical Match in the Arena
Most duels in the arena did not end in death. If the match was worth watching and both gladiators fought well, then the audience usually signaled to the Editor (the host of the match) to allow the loser of the match live. However, if the loser did not fight well or disgraced himself in the arena, then the audience usually signaled to the Editor for his death. Occasionally, if a gladiator was impressive enough, then the audience would signal to the Editor for his freedom. |
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Decline
When the Roman Empire adopted Christianity the gladiatorial games became less and less popular. The games were considered to be a pagan ritual and Roman society had no use for it anymore. Throughout the 4th and 5th century, the gladiatorial games were banned and reopened periodically, but it wasn't until 438 when the gladiatorial games were completely eradicated. |
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