Activity: Roman Games

1. Read the following sources.

SOURCE A
Extract about Gladiators from The Roman Empire, a PBS television series.

'Successful gladiators were the movie stars of the first century - so famous that free
men queued to take their chances in the arena. Bloody, brutal but popular,
gladiatorial contests often seen as the dark side of Roman civilization.

'Given they belonged to such a civilized and sophisticated society, the Romans' deep
attraction to extreme violence remains surprising and strange. Historians have
struggled to explain how a country that civilized so much of the world could be so
keen on watching men and women fight to the death.'

SOURCE B
Extract from Seneca's Moral Epistles, written around 60CE.

'The gladiators have nothing to protect them: their bodies are utterly open to every
blow: every thrust finds its mark Most people prefer this kind of thing to all other
matches The sword is not checked by helmet or shield. What good armour? What
good is swordsmanship? All these things o put off death a little. In the morning men
are matched with lions and bears, at noon with their spectators.... Death is the
fighters' only exit.
SOURCE C
Explanation about the role of the games from the Ancient History Encyclopedia
website

'Roman gladiator games were an opportunity for Emperor and rich aristocrats to
display their wealth to the populace to commemorate military victories, mark visits
from important officials, celebrate birthdays or simply to distract the populace from
the political and economic problems of the day. The appeal to the public of the games
was as bloody entertainment and the fascination which came from contests which
were literally a matter of life and death. Hugely popular events were held in massive
arenas throughout the Empire, with the Colosseum (or Flavian Amphitheater) the
biggest of them all. Thirty, forty or ever fifty thousand spectators from all sections of
Roman society flocked to be entertained by gory spectacles where wild and exotic
animals were hunted, prisoners were executed, religious martyrs were thrown to the
lions and the stars of the show, symbols of the Roman virtues of honor and courage,
the gladiators, employed all their martial skills in kill or be killed contest.
2. Based on what you read, complete the following chart and answer the
question.

Source Origin of the Purpose of the What does it

source source suggest about
the Roman
Games?

SOURCE A

SOURCE B

SOURCE C

- Does the existence of the Roman Games suggest that the Romans were not a
civilized society? Explain your answer in at least 120 words.