Gladiators At Pompeii

Table of contents

The ruins of Pompeii reveal more graphically than anywhere else in the Roman world the vital role that gladiators and gladiatorial combat played in society. The Vesuvian eruption not only sealed the oldest amphitheatre to survive from antiquity, but also grafitti, elaborate weaponry, stone monuments and paintings which all testify to the popularity of gladiators, several of which are known to us by name. In addition, the discovery of a training barracks allows us to locate physically the place of gladiators in the city. This book, now available in English translation, presents the evidence from Pompeii in full colour photographs, accompanied by reconstruction drawings and an informative text that takes us through the streets of Pompeii as the gladiators would have known it.

A concise history of ancient Roman gladiators—how they lived, fought, and died in the Colosseum—by the archeologist, author, and Roman military expert. Heroic despite their lowly status, the gladiators of ancient Rome fought vicious duels in large arenas filled with baying crowds. Few lasted more than a dozen fights, yet they were a valuable asset to their owners. Gladiators reveals the fascinating history of these men, how they fought, and how their weapons and techniques developed—debunking myths along the way. Historian M. C. Bishop examines the different forms of gladiator combat, including simulated naval battles held on large artificial lakes. He also discusses how gladiators were carefully paired against each other to balance their strengths and weaknesses. Although their lives were brutal and short, gladiators were the celebrities of their day, admired for their bravery. This short history reveals what we know about the gladiators and how we know it: ancient remains, contemporary literature, graffiti, modern attempts to reconstruct ancient fighting techniques, and the astonishing discovery at Pompeii where a complete gladiator barracks was found alongside multiple skeletons, telling their story.

An exciting journey inside the Ancient Roman Empire to discover everything about Gladiators’ life and their fights. What happened at the fights gladiators held in arenas? Who was the most famous gladiator of all time? Take a trip with Rufus, the organiser of the Roman Empire’s gladiators’ games, the most important and popular forms of entertainment. A non fiction text gives information about gladiators, their weapons and the historical context they lived in. Speech Baloons involve the reader in an exciting journey inside history. Special in depth sections explore curious aspects related to the topic, with photos of historical finds. Space for reader's interaction with games and pages to colour in. This book was produced in collaboration with MANN – Museo Archeologico di Napoli and Scuola Italiana di Comix.

The games comprised gladiatorial fights, staged animal hunts (venationes) and the executions of convicted criminals and prisoners of war. Besides entertaining the crowd, the games delivered a powerful message of Roman power: as a reminder of the wars in which Rome had acquired its empire, the distant regions of its far-flung empire (from where they had obtained wild beasts for the venatio), and the inevitability of Roman justice for criminals and those foreigners who had dared to challenge the empire's authority. Though we might see these games as bloodthirsty, cruel and reprehensible condemning any alien culture out of hand for a sport that offends our sensibilities smacks of cultural chauvinism. Instead one should judge an ancient sport by the standards of its contemporary cultural context. This book offers a fascinating, and fair historical appraisal of gladiatorial combat, which will bring the games alive to the reader and help them see them through the eyes of the ancient Romans. It will answer questions about gladiatorial combat such as: What were its origins? Why did it disappear? Who were gladiators? How did they become gladiators? What was there training like? How did the Romans view gladiators? How were gladiator shows produced and advertised? What were the different styles of gladiatorial fighting? Did gladiator matches have referees? Did every match end in the death of at least one gladiator? Were gladiator games mere entertainment or did they play a larger role in Roman society? What was their political significance?

Ancient and Medieval People profiles some of the fiercest warriors in history. Lean about their lives and times, notorious battles, and daring feats! In The Roman Gladiators, read about gladiators battles in the Colosseum. Learn about how gladiators trained, their armor and weapons, and gladiatorial games. Book jacket.

Gladiators were mostly slaves and ex-soldiers, but some actually volunteered to fight for ancient Rome’s entertainment. Gladiators went to special schools to acquire the skills needed to best opponents and survive to fight another day. This absorbing book gives detailed descriptions of weapons, armor, rules of the arena, and different--often gruesome--gladiatorial events. Roman history comes alive in photographs of the Colosseum and ancient artifacts, as well as in famous paintings and instructive illustrations. Thankfully, this brutal practice is a piece of the past, but much can be learned about Roman culture through its study.

From the author of Ancient and Medieval Siege Weapons comes an eye-opening new look at one of the most popular spectacles of ancient Rome. This detailed, fascinating guide covers every aspect of the gladiator phenomenon from the types of equipment the different classes of gladiator used to the high place in society these sportsmen came to occupy.