Roman Games:

Gladiatorial games, or venationes, were an important part of Roman culture and

extremely popular in Italy and North Africa and the west in general. Typically part of
some special celebration, games were given by individuals—usually public office
holders-- to commemorate important events and became increasingly more lavish during
the course of Roman history. There are any number of ways to approach this topic,
ranging from technology and design of the amphitheatre, to visual images associated with
the games, to the cultural underpinnings of spectacle etc. Below are just a few ideas:

-The Colosseum: technology, materials, construction

- Amphitheatre design in the west
-Depictions of Games in mosaics and/or sculpture
- Spectacle and Violence in Roman culture
- Decorative programs

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