The Games and A Day at Rome

1. The Games and A Day at Rome By David Tinianow

2. The Games • In Rome, the games were very important to all of the citizens • The games provided free entertainment to all citizens • Poor and unemployed people looked forward to these exciting events in their tedious, dull lives • Magistrates and wealthy people anticipated boasting their wealth and social status at these events • They were held all over the Roman world, including Verulamium and Careleon in Britain

3. The Games http://www.esc2.net/TIEYear3/projects/rome/Images/lion.JPG

4. Tensions in the Games • The entertainment did not defuse social tensions • Conflict between classes would occur • 59 AD: A riot breaks out at the gladiatorial games at Pompeii which results in closure of the amphitheatre for 10 years

5. Roman Shows • During the first century BC shows in Rome generally consisted of: • Theatric performances • Gladiatorial displays • Conclusion with the chariot races http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/images2/circus_max3.jpg

6. Theatre • Drama consisted largely of comedies, slapstick, acrobatics, ballet and mime, knockabout farce • Serious drama was generally unpopular • It was outdone in spectacle created by the sponsor in a bid for popular appeal

7. Gladiator’s Arena • Rome’s first permanent amphitheatre was built in 29 BC • Until 29 BC, exhibitions of wild beast and gladiator battles took place in the forum and Circus Maximus From the Film “Gladiator”

8. Gladiators http://www.psychicworld.net/roman.jpg

9. Gladiatorial Show • Began with a grand parade featuring gladiators dressed in gold and purple robes riding in chariots • Music was made with brass and wind instruments and a hydraulic organ

10. Gladiators • Gladiators put in no-hope situations were criminals who were condemned to death; sometimes these scenarios involved wild beasts • Proper gladiators had some chance of survival • If a gladiator survived long enough or impressed they could earn their freedom from the arena • Many gladiators earned a mass following in the crowd, especially among females

11. Gladiators and Their Equipment • Samnite – Heavily armed with a large oblong shield and a sword/spear; protected by a visored helmet, and protection on right arm and leg • Thraex – Armed with reversed sickle and protected by a light shield and helmet • Retiarius – Lightly armed with only a tunic, a trident, a dagger, and a net http://www.gijoecanada.com/images/ignite_gladiator%20retiarius%20ign-ar037.jpg Model Retiarius Gladiator

12. Gladiator Show • Gladiator battles were very brutal • The crowd determined whether an opponent at mercy to another should be finished off • Thumbs up meant spare him • Thumbs pointed at one’s own chest meant kill him • The winner received a crown and prize money http://www.qwipster.net/gladiator.jpg

13. Gladiator Facts • In 80 AD, during a staged hunt in the Colosseum, 5000 wild beasts were killed in a single day • Incense-burners were used to eliminate the stench of dead animals • Boys covered pools of blood with sand • After a victim had fallen, Mercury (who led soulds into the Underworld) came on and used a hot iron to make sure they were dead

14. The Race Arena • The Circus Maximus • Huge rectangle with semicircular ends • Seats holding up to 250,000 spectators • Located between Palatine and Aventine hills • Men and Women could sit together

15. The Races • Praetor dropped white cloth to start race • Chariots ran from 12 starting boxes • Normal race consisted of 7 laps on the 1,200 yard track • Turning posts were known as metae which consisted of 3 cones of gilded bronze • Central area was known as the spina or backbone • Every time a lap was completed, an egg and dolphin were lowered • A skillful sport which involved racing about 5 miles for around 15 minutes

16. The Racers • Charioteers were mainly slaves • If slaves were popular enough from performance, they might be able to make enough money to buy their freedom • Four companies of trainers hired out teams to promoters who paid all expenses • Racers wore colors of their stables • Red, Pale Green, Sea Blue, White • Gambling was illegal but was held on a massive scale

17. A Day at Rome • The following accounts for an ordinary Roman who wants to climb higher in the social order http://www.uvi.edu/pub-relations/current_events/carnival_04_costumes/images/roman_man.jpg

18. A Day at Rome: Early Morning • He wakes up in a simply furnished bedroom and splashes some water on himself • He has slept in a tunic and changes into a toga • The toga signifies his being a Roman citizen • He has a light breakfast (or none at all) which consists of bread with cheese or honey and milk • He then travels to visit his patron who he hopes will help him gain success through returned favors

19. A Day at Rome: Early Morning A Roman Dressed in His Toga and Ready To Go http://www.novaroma.org/vici/images/thumb/300px-Cincinnatus-toga.jpg

20. A Day at Rome: Daybreak • He presents himself at the house of his patron • This morning greeting is known as salutatio • He hopes for an invitation to dinner or a small gift of money known as a sportula • Sometimes his patron insists that he accompany him to the forum to partake in business – political, legal, and financial

21. A Day at Rome: Lunch • A small break is had for lunch • Lunch is a light meal that consists of fish, eggs, or pork with vegetables followed by fruit • After a brief break, he would probably get some exercise • He may visit the Campus Martius, which is known as the playground of ancient Rome • All sports were practiced here • People went for strolls • Military training took place • Strong current in river provided energetic swimming

22. A Day at Rome: Afternoon • He goes to the public baths, known as balnea, to clean himself • Many of these baths were very cheap • He would change in the changing room (apodyterium) • Then he would immerse himself in warm water in the warm room (tepidarium) • Next he went into the hot room (calidarium) • This room was heated by a system under the floor known as the hypocaust • After a brief bath he oiled himself with olive oil and scraped it off with a strigil • Then he went to the cold room (frigidarium) where he dove into cold water • Finally he dried himself with a towel and went back into the changing room

23. A Day at Rome: Afternoon Olive Oil and Strigil Roman Baths in Bath http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/eng/ks2/history/romans/caerleon_challenge/media/images/oil%20jar%20and%20strigil.jpg http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/~jenny/photos/2006/uk2006n/slides/Roman%20Baths.JPG

24. A Day at Rome: Dinner • Dinner (cena) is a big affair for him • It is considered short if it lasts only three Roman hours • There is plenty of eating, conversation, and entertainment • After dinner, he returns home through dark and narrow Roman streets hoping he will not get mugged

25. A Day at Rome: Time • There were twelve hours in a Roman day • Each hour compromised a twelfth of the time from sunrise to sunset • Hours in the summer were longer in the winter • They varied between ¾ and 1 ¾ modern hours

26. By David Tinianow http://www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_images/circus_model.jpg