Roman Entertainment

Roman Entertainment

Poll

What do you and your family do for fun?

• Watch movies

• Go out - mall, park, bowling, etc.

• Go to a relative's house

• All of the above

• Not Listed

If you and your family want to have fun, you might go to the movies, the mall, take a walk in a park, or watch a ballgame.

Romans had different ways of keeping amused.

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Romans at Play

The Romans celebrated a lot of festivals and holidays.  Most were religious, but other marked state events such as when a government official took office.

 
Festivals usually included large feasting and some form of entertainment.

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Romans at Play

Romans had their own ideas of what entertainment should be.

Gymnastics and foot races, the kinds of athletic competitions favored in Greece, had never caught on in Rome.

To please a Roman audience, real blood had to be shed.  Real people and animals had to die.

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Let's Celebrate!

In the video you will hear "I didn't know man could build such things." Watch the video and see if you recognize which building it is.

HINT: The building was like the ultimate sports and entertainment stadium in ancient Rome. Built nearly 2,000 years ago, it could hold up to 50,000 spectators, which is about the size of a big football stadium today! And it is in this building that blood will be shed for the entertainment of the Romans.

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Let's Celebrate!

Poll

Lesson: Roman Entertainment

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Poll

Did you recognize the building?

• Yes.

• No.

Amphitheaters in ancient Rome were big, open-air buildings shaped like a circle or oval, where lots of people could gather to watch exciting events.
They were kind of like modern sports stadiums, but instead of football or soccer games, the Romans watched gladiator fights, wild animal hunts, and even big battles that were acted out as entertainment.

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Entertainment

The largest of all amphitheaters was the Colosseum in Rome. 

 

This building had 80 entrances and could seat approximately 50,000 spectators! 

 

To protect the spectators from the blistering sun and heat of Ancient Rome, there was the velarium – an awning that could be pulled over the top of the seating area to provide shade. 

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The Colosseum

Free for all! There was no entry fee. And free food was sometimes served, too. Bonus! Emperors or senators paid for the events as a way to gain popularity and support from the public.

 

But what all those people went to watch is something we’d find gruesome. 

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Entertainment

What went on inside the Colosseum was the bloody sport of gladiator fighting.

 Most gladiators were slaves or criminals who were forced to fight sometimes to their deaths while audiences watched and cheered.

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Entertainment

Some of the slaves were bought by promoters for gladiator fights.  

The slaves would then be sent to a ludus gladiatorius – a school where they are trained to fight as gladiators.

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Entertainment

Once inside, they will be trained to fight by a lanista or ‘butcher’, an old gladiator whose fighting days are over.

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Entertainment

It is a popular opinion that gladiators always fought to the death, but this wasn’t the case.  It would have been a waste of training!  Gladiators trained for up to two years.

Since gladiators were expensive to house, feed and train, their promoters were loath to see them needlessly killed. 

Trainers may have taught their fighters to wound, not kill, and the combatants may have taken it upon themselves to avoid seriously hurting their brothers-in-arms.

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Entertainment

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Life as a gladiator wasn’t easy, but the rewards were worth the risk, even for those not forced to participate. Portraits of great gladiators hung in public places, kids made clay figurines of these warriors, and the best fighters even endorsed products.

These men were the superstars of the era.  The victor received a palm branch, a crown, money, and sometimes, freedom.

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Entertainment

Hollywood movies and television shows often depict gladiatorial bouts as a bloody free-for-all, but most fights operated under fairly strict rules and regulations.

The games were well organized with warriors placed in different ‘classes’ depending on skill level, experience, and previous records.

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Entertainment

There were several types of gladiators.  Each class used a different combination of equipment.  Many fought with a simple sword called a gladius.  Some used spears, daggers, or tridents.

Entertainment

He used a large oblong shield and wore a metal or leather greave on his left leg. He also wore a visored helmet and was armed with a sword (gladius).

Samnite

The gladiator Hoplomachus was the most heavy armored of the gladiators. 

The Hoplomachus was considered the bulldozer of the Arena, but he was also limited in his speed cause of the weight of his heavy armor.

Hoplomachus

Retiarius gladiators had a fishing net and trident.

These gladiators wore very little armor and relied on speed and skill to escape attacks.

Retiarius 

a type of Roman gladiator that fought with two swords

Dimachaerus

While it’s a dramatic and memorable phrase, there’s no strong evidence that professional gladiators routinely said, “We who are about to die salute you.”
It was probably only said once by prisoners who were forced to fight in a special event. Still, the phrase has become famous because it represents courage and standing strong in the face of danger, which is why people often think of gladiators when they hear it.

"We who are about to die..."

Gladiators sometimes fought wild animals like lions, tigers, bears, and even elephants. These events were called venationes (animal hunts).

Fighting animals was extremely dangerous and often used as punishment for criminals or as a way to test a gladiator’s skill and bravery.

Wild Animals

When most people think about the Colosseum, they think of gladiator battles.

 

However, there were many other types of events held in the Colosseum.

 

After the gladiator contest, for the grand finale, water was poured into the arena submerging the stage for the greatest show of all: staged naval battles, called naumachiae.

Naumachiae

The atmosphere during gladiator games in ancient Rome was wild, loud, and exciting! It was like being at a huge sports event or concert today, but even more intense.

The Atmosphere

Huge Audiences: The Colosseum, Rome's most famous arena, could hold about 50,000 people! The crowd was made up of people from all walks of life, from poor citizens to wealthy elites—even the emperor might attend.

The Crowd

The crowd cheered loudly for their favorite gladiators, booed those they didn’t like, and shouted advice or insults during the fights. Their excitement could be felt throughout the arena!

The Crowd

Bands played music during the games to match the action in the arena. They used instruments like horns, drums, and flutes to create dramatic effects. For example: Fast, upbeat music during intense fights. Sad or suspenseful music when a gladiator was injured or about to die.
The music added to the drama and kept the crowd entertained between fights.

The Music

Trapdoors and Elevators: The Colosseum had trapdoors and hidden platforms to make animals or gladiators suddenly appear from underground. This added surprise and excitement to the games.

Prize Giveaways: Between fights, the organizers sometimes threw small gifts like food, coins, or tokens for the audience to catch.

Special Effects and Surprises

If a gladiator was overmatched—meaning they were losing badly or couldn’t keep fighting—the next steps depended on the situation and the people watching.
The Gladiator Could Surrender

A losing gladiator could raise their hand or drop their weapon to show they had given up. This was a way of asking for mercy.

The fight would stop, and it was up to the person in charge of the games (called the editor), often the emperor or a wealthy sponsor, to decide what happened next.

Surrender

The Crowd Played a Big Role

The audience had a lot of influence. They would cheer or shout to let the editor know if they thought the losing gladiator deserved to live or die.

Sometimes, they used gestures, like a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. The thumbs downward signal from the mob indicates that he should die.

Surrender

As corpses were dragged out through the Porta Libitina (Gate of the Dead) at the eastern end of the arena, more gladiators fought in the western end. 

Slaves raked fresh sand over the blood-soaked arena floor.

If the Gladiator wasn't spared

Multiple Choice

Who were gladiators in ancient Rome?

• Gladiators were farmers who worked the land.
• Gladiators were politicians in ancient Rome.
• Gladiators were musicians who performed in theaters.
• Gladiators were Slaves or prisoners who fought in arenas in ancient Rome

Multiple Choice

What was the purpose of gladiator games?

• The purpose of gladiator games was to entertain the public and honor the gods.

• To train soldiers for battle
• To promote agricultural practices
• To celebrate religious festivals

Roman Theater

Ancient Roman theater was a big part of life in Rome, and it was all about entertaining the people with exciting plays, funny comedies, and dramatic performances.
Everyone in ancient Rome liked going to the the theater.  The theater was exciting and it was free!

Theater

Most actors were men, even when they played female roles (women rarely acted in Roman theater). They wore masks to show the audience what kind of character they were playing.

Masks had exaggerated facial expressions, so even people sitting far away could tell if a character was happy, sad, or angry.

Theater

Multiple Choice

The ancient Romans performed two types of dramas they learned from the Greeks.  Which two dramas did the Greeks invent?

• melodrama and farce
• epic and lyrical
• drama and opera
• tragedy and comedy

The Circus

A day at an ancient Roman Circus, like the Circus Maximus, was one of the most exciting experiences for Roman people! The circus was a massive stadium where thousands of people gathered to watch chariot races and other thrilling events.

Circus

People from all over the city would pour into the Circus early in the morning. They wore their favorite team’s colors (red, white, blue, or green) and got ready to cheer loudly.

It didn’t cost anything to attend because Roman leaders wanted to keep people entertained and happy.

Getting Ready for the Big Day

The Circus Maximus was the largest stadium in Rome, holding over 150,000 people—that’s more than a modern football stadium! It was a long, oval shape with rows of stone seating for the audience.

In the middle of the stadium was the racetrack, surrounded by the spina, a central barrier with statues, fountains, and even an Egyptian obelisk for decoration.

The Circus Maximus

Opening Parade: The day often started with a grand parade of chariots, horses, and performers. Priests carried statues of the gods to bless the event, adding to the excitement.

The Race: Chariot races were the main event!

Each race had teams represented by colors: Red, White, Blue, and Green.

A chariot was pulled by 2-4 horses, and the charioteers had to race around the track 7 laps, which could take about 15 minutes.

The races were fast, dangerous, and filled with crashes! The crowd went wild, cheering for their favorite teams and drivers.

The Chariot Races Begin!

Crashes were common because the races were so fast and the turns so tight. This made the races thrilling but dangerous for the drivers.

Charioteers were like modern sports stars. If they won often, they became famous and rich. The crowd loved them, and their names were remembered for years.

Dangerous and Exciting

Multiple Choice

What was the Circus in ancient Rome?

• A large arena used for chariot races and public events

• A marketplace for goods
• A religious festival
• A type of gladiatorial combat

Dropdown

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Select answer

the most famous Circus in ancient Rome.

Not everyone in ancient Rome spent his or her free time watching the bloody games at the Colosseum.

Children enjoyed sports and board games, games with hoops, and ball games.  They played a board game similar to backgammon.

Children and adults played games similar to street hockey, handball, and soccer, as well as games of catch.

More Fun