Gladiators

[poliphilo]

Archaeologists in York have uncovered what they think is a cemetery full of Roman gladiators. Up until now it has been the received opinion that when fighters were finished off in the ring it was done with a single thrust to the throat- but most of these men had been decapitated. One skeleton had been mauled by a large predator- either a bear or a big cat. The theory that the men might have been executed criminals is undermined by signs- including substantial food offerings and the use of coffins- which suggest that these were honoured graves.

Comments

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Wow! Thanks for the link.

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

I love stuff like this. I'm going to have to record that programme next Monday because my nephew will be here in a couple of weeks and I think he'd be fascinated as well.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's not often we find out things about the distant past that we didn't know before.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Oh wow!

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Very interesting. We have the ruins of a whole Roman city right outside Seville. Itálica was built as a retirement place for old military people mostly and it had an impressive amphitheatre much of which is still standing (and not rebuilt like the Roman Coliseum). I find this stuff fascinating. In one of the side galleries of the amphitheatre is a reproduction of what might be considered the "gladiator's contract" and it details all rights and obligation, the pay they received etc.

The Emperor Trajan was born in Itálica. Hadrian is also considered to have been born there though there is less documentation on that.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We have a Roman amphitheatre just down the road in Chester. It has a side chapel with an altar to the Goddess Nemesis- which is presumably where the fighters said their prayers before entering the ring.

I will now google Italica.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Yes, the altar to Nemesis was also present in the Italica amphitheatre.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

There are some great pictures of Italica on wikimedia commons. What an amazing place!

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

Oh wow - is that contract posted online anywhere? I would love to read it.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Let me google and see if I can find it. At the Italica amphitheatre there is a copy in Latin and a translation in Spanish.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

I can't find anything in English but I gather that what is inscribed on the bronze tablet was part of a speech by a senator requesting that the cost of gladiator "shows" be lowered according to the category of the gladiators in each spectacle in order to make them more affordable for the people. It also establishes a pay scale for the gladiators according to their "worth" and fame.

It talks about how third parties are making too much money from these spectacles and what to do about that. There is also an admonishment to the emperor to invest the profits in public works for the benefit of the State.

And so on.

It is called the "tabula gladiatoria".

[athenais.livejournal.com]

What an interesting find. I hope there will be photographs soon.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'll be watching out for them.