The Roman Games: Historical Sources in Translation / Edition 1

by Alison Futrell

Overview

This sourcebook presents a wealth of material relating to every aspect of Roman spectacles, especially gladiatorial combat and chariot racing.

• Draws on the words of eye-witnesses and participants, as well as depictions of the games in mosaics and other works of art.
• Offers snapshots of "a day at the games" and "the life of a gladiator".
• Includes numerous illustrations.
• Covers chariot-races, water pageants, naval battles and wild animal fights, as well as gladiatorial combat.
• Combines political, social, religious and archaeological perspectives.
• Facilitates an in-depth understanding of this important feature of ancient life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781405115698
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	01/30/2006
Series:	Blackwell Sourcebooks in Ancient History
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	886,872
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.85(d)

About the Author

Alison Futrell is Associate Professor of Roman History at the University of Arizona in Tucson and author of Blood in the Arena: The Spectacle of Roman Power (1997). Her current research interests are in representations of gender and power, both in the ancient past and in modern popular culture. Her recent projects include the cultural history of Spartacus and a monograph on Barbarian Queens.

Table of Contents

Illustrations viii

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xi

1 The Politics of the Arena 1

Origin and Growth of Games 1

Games and the Roman state 2

Origins of gladiatorial combat 4

Origins of wild animal shows 7

Roman spectacle overseas 8

Spectacle and Roman Politics 11

Politics and shows 11

Costs 14

Control 18

Violence 22

Shows as political assembly 24

Imperial Spectacle 29

Ordinary spectacle 30

The emperor and the arena 33

The emperor and political spectacle 36

Gladiators outside Rome 43

2 The Venue 52

Republican Arenas 53

Temporary structures in Rome 57

Amphitheaters 59

Disaster and control 61

The Colosseum 62

Military amphitheaters 66

Special features 67

Circuses 67

Features of the Circus Maximus 73

Circus as cosmos 76

Naumachiae 77

Stratification and Seating 80

3 A Day at the Games 84

Preparation and Pompa 84

Venationes 89

Meridiani 89

Munera 94

The armatures 95

The combats 99

Good Spectacles vs. Bad Spectacles 103

The Other Show: Audiences at the Games 104

Dangerous games 107

Special treats 110

Food, spectacular food 111
Sparsiones 111

Inaugural Games at the Flavian Amphitheater 113

Commodus’ Games 115

Tainted by the Crowd 117

4 The Life of the Gladiator 120

Where Did Gladiators Come From? 120

Prisoners of war 121

Condemned criminals 122

Slave gladiators and the Spartacan war 125

Gladiators and status 130

Free gladiators 132

Choosing gladiatorial status 134

Glory 135

Life in the Ludi 138

Death or Survival 143

Sexy Gladiators 146

Death and Choice 147

Gladiator Familiae 148

Female Performers: Gladiatrices and Ludia 153

Crimes of Status: Elites in the Arena 156

Imperial Gladiators 158

5 Christians and the Arena 160

Rome and the Christians: The Official Relationship 160

The Neronian persecution 161

Trajan’s policy 163

Christian Denunciation of the Arena 165

The Arena and Christian Identity 169

Martyr Acts 172

Christian Rome and the Arena 186

6 Chariot Races and Water Shows 189

Chariot Races 189

The events 191

Charioteers 198

The horses 205

The colors 207

Circus fans 210

Emperors as fans 213

Fan clubs and unrest 213

The Nika revolt 215

Water Shows 218

Timeline of Roman History 222
Glossary of Terms and Names 229
Notes 232
Suggestions for Further Reading 245
Index 248

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“A lively and wide-ranging collection of sources on Roman public spectacle. Alison Futrell has made an excellent selection and she introduces and links the extracts with very lucid and helpful commentary. This book will be enormously beneficial for students and helpful to scholars too.”
Jonathan Edmondson, York University, Toronto

“This excellent book promises to be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the violent entertainments of the Roman arena. Futrell’s collection of sources enables readers to see the broader context of the games, offering a first rate collection of material for life outside the amphitheater, as well as for events that took place within it.”
David Potter, University of Michigan

"Futrell's main purpose is to provide interesting, unusual material, and this she does ... Her brief explanatory notes are insightful, learned and intended to provoke further research. Those interested in ancient Rome will welcome this fine sourcebook ... Highly recommended."
Choice

"This very useful book provides a wide-ranging collection of sources of different types on this ever-popular branch of Roman civilisation, offering valuable insights into aspects of Roman public entertainment. . . a worthwhile purchase for the school library."
Journal of Classics Teaching

Editorial Reviews

A lively and wide-ranging collection of sources on Romanpublic spectacle. Alison Futrell has made an excellent selectionand she introduces and links the extracts with very lucid andhelpful commentary. This book will be enormously beneficial forstudents and helpful to scholars too.”
Jonathan Edmondson, York University, Toronto

“This excellent book promises to be an invaluable resourcefor anyone interested in the violent entertainments of the Romanarena. Futrell’s collection of sources enables readers to seethe broader context of the games, offering a first rate collectionof material for life outside the amphitheater, as well as forevents that took place within it.”
David Potter, University of Michigan

"Futrell's main purpose is to provide interesting, unusualmaterial, and this she does ... Her brief explanatory notes areinsightful, learned and intended to provoke further research. Thoseinterested in ancient Rome will welcome this fine sourcebook ...Highly recommended."
Choice

"This very useful book provides a wide-ranging collection ofsources of different types on this ever-popular branch of Romancivilisation, offering valuable insights into aspects of Romanpublic entertainment. . . a worthwhile purchase for the schoollibrary."
Journal of Classics Teaching

From the Publisher