The Roman Games Historical Sources in Translation

by Futrell, Alison

• ISBN13: 9781405115698
• ISBN10: 1405115696
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-30
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

This sourcebook presents a wealth of material that casts light on the rich tradition of Roman spectacle, with special focus on gladiatorial combat and chariot racing.

Author Biography

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
The Politics of the Arena	1	(51)
Origin and Growth of Games	1	(10)
Games and the Roman state	2	(2)
Origins of gladiatorial combat	4	(3)
Origins of wild animal shows	7	(1)
Roman spectacle overseas	8	(3)
Spectacle and Roman Politics	11	(18)
Politics and shows	11	(3)
Costs	14	(4)
Control	18	(4)
Violence	22	(2)
Shows as political assembly	24	(5)
Imperial Spectacle	29	(23)
Ordinary spectacle	30	(3)
The emperor and the arena	33	(3)
The emperor and political spectacle	36	(7)
Gladiators outside Rome	43	(9)
The Venue	52	(32)
Republican Arenas	53	(6)
Temporary structures in Rome	57	(2)
Amphitheaters	59	(8)
Disaster and control	61	(1)
The Colosseum	62	(4)
Military amphitheaters	66	(1)
Special features	67	(1)
Circuses	67	(10)
Features of the Circus Maximus	73	(3)
Circus as cosmos	76	(1)
Naumachiae	77	(3)
Stratification and Seating	80	(4)
A Day at the Games	84	(36)
Preparation and Pompa	84	(5)
Venationes	89	(1)
Meridiani	89	(5)
Munera	94	(9)
The armatures	95	(4)
The combats	99	(4)
Good Spectacles vs. Bad Spectacles	103	(1)
The Other Show: Audiences at the Games	104	(9)
Dangerous games	107	(3)
Special treats	110	(1)
Food, spectacular food	111	(1)
Sparsiones	111	(2)
Inaugural Games at the Flavian Amphitheater	113	(2)
Commodus' Games	115	(2)
Tainted by the Crowd	117	(3)
The Life of the Gladiator	120	(40)
Where Did Gladiators Come From?	120	(18)
Prisoners of war	121	(1)
Condemned criminals	122	(3)
Slave gladiators and the Spartacan war	125	(5)
Gladiators and status	130	(2)
Free gladiators	132	(2)
Choosing gladiatorial status	134	(1)
Glory	135	(3)
Life in the Ludi	138	(5)
Death or Survival	143	(3)
Sexy Gladiators	146	(1)
Death and Choice	147	(1)
Gladiator Familiae	148	(5)
Female Performers: Gladiatrices and Ludia	153	(3)
Crimes of Status: Elites in the Arena	156	(2)
Imperial Gladiators	158	(2)
Christians and the Arena	160	(29)
Rome and the Christians: The Official Relationship	160	(5)
The Neronian persecution	161	(2)
Trajan's policy	163	(2)
Christian Denunciation of the Arena	165	(4)
The Arena and Christian Identity	169	(3)
Martyr Acts	172	(14)
Christian Rome and the Arena	186	(3)
Chariot Races and Water Shows	189	(33)
Chariot Races	189	(29)
The events	191	(7)
Charioteers	198	(7)
The horses	205	(2)
The colors	207	(3)
Circus fans	210	(3)
Emperors as fans	213	(1)
Fan clubs and unrest	213	(2)
The Nika revolt	215	(3)
Water Shows	218	(4)
Timeline of Roman History	222	(7)
Glossary of Terms and Names	229	(3)
Notes	232	(13)
Suggestions for Further Reading	245	(3)
Index	248