sign in sign up
<<
Home , Circus Maximus, Ludi, Ludi Apollinares, Ludi Plebeii, Ludi Romani

Unit 9 Sports Culture in Ancient

UNIT 9: SPORTS CULTURE IN

UNIT STRUCTURE 9.1 Learning Objectives 9.2 Introduction 9.3 Racing 9.4 Games and Other Death Defying Games 9.5 Let Us Sum Up 9.6 Further Reading 9.7 Answers to Check Your Progress 9.8 Model Questions

9.1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After going through this, you will be able to- • explain the culture of sports that prevailed in Ancient Rome • describe the spectacular sports of , Gladiator games etc and • discuss the impact of such death defying sports.

9.2. INTRODUCTION

In the previous Unit, we discussed about the religion and art scenario in Ancient Rome. In this Unit, we will deliberate on the issue of sports of Ancient Rome. Pompous and spectacular are the two words that define the sports . Such events of spectacle were held by the state machinery and it merged with the festivals that were held in the honour of Roman deities. Magni and were the most important festivals. However there were additions to these lists in the later period which included (in honour of ), (in honour of ), Ludi Megalenses (in honour of Great Mother), Ludi Florales (in honour of ) etc.

94 History of Ancient Civilizations Sports Culture in Ancient Rome Unit 9

Games in Ancient Rome were either “Ordinary” or spectacular. The Romans were getting influenced by the culture of the neighbouring countries Greece and other states in the Eastern Mediterranean. We will discuss more about in details.

9.3. CHARIOT RACING

Roman games included great sporting battles. Many games were great spectacles of killing, with fighting to the death and horrific public executions of criminals, prisoners of war and persecuted minorities like Christians. Ludi were public games held as part of religious festivals and included horse and chariot racing, mock animal hunts, music and plays. The number of days on which they appeared each year soon began to grow. By the Imperial era, from 27 BC, there were 135 days allotted to Ludi. Priests organised the first games. Romans loved chariot races, which were held on special racetracks called . The most famous , which was in Rome, was the . In chariot races, two- or four-horse ran seven laps totaling anywhere from three to five miles. Roman games included other type of equestrian events. Some races with horses and riders resemble today’s thoroughbred horseracing. In one type of race, riders began the competition on horseback but later dismounted and ran on foot to the finish. Rome during the 3rd century BC was growing as a major power and her close contact with her immediate neighbouring powers and this led to the expansion of the games both in style and grandeur. The games became a major tool of the display of power of Rome. Hence, Roman officials, generals staged games which continued for several days. Earlier the games were organized under the imperial order and supervision. As public, elected officials got involved they became a tool to win popularity, growing in size and magnificence. One of Caesar’s killers, Marcus Brutus, sponsored games to help win over the people. Caesar’s heir Octavian held his own Ludi in response. The Ludi Plebeii (Jupiter) was held in 216 BC, for a span of 14 days and chariot racing was held in the last three days. Chariot racing was a

History of Ancient Civilizations 95 Unit 9 Sports Culture in Ancient Rome

spectacular show. Ludis were held in different times honouring different Gods and in all these ceremonies, chariot racing was the highlight of the festival. In 173 BC, these games became a part of the annual festivities. The chariot races or horse-back races were held in honour of (or who was the God of sea and horses). Chariot races are probably as old as Rome itself. Legends say that was the first ruler to initiate games. Romulus is supposed to have held Chariot races that acted as a distraction for the kidnapping of the Sabine women in Rome’s first war in 753 BC. Races were held in Ludi and as part of other religious festivals, accompanied by great parades, and entertainments. There was no such death or injury of gladiator fighting, but chariot racing was often fatal. It became a technically complex and lucrative business. Drivers were paid, one reportedly making the equivalent of $15 billion in a 24-year career, and bets laid. There were four factions or racing teams based on colours: , green, red and white. While the riders could easily change factions, the audience would stick to the particular faction. Chariot racing tradition enjoyed high reputation and support from the elite class in Ancient Rome. Many Romans volunteered as charioteers, not just slaves but also freedman due to the prestige associated with the sport. The winners got away a hefty amount of prize money, and they enjoyed a high social status in the society. Races were held in Circus Maximus which had a capacity to hold 150,000 people and yet the common man would queue overnight to get a seat for the races. The audience would bet in the race after a close inspection of the charioteer and the horses. Madness would rule the crowd during the race. The support of the crowd to a particular colour faction (as the race team was divided into) helped to keep them distracted from politics and Juvenal has rightly mentioned that they longed for only “bread and circuses”. A few successful charioteers were Marcus Aurelius Polyneices who had 739 victories to his name. Another highly successful rider was Publius Aelius Gutta Calapurnianus who won over 1000 times in the races. Caligulus seemed to have been so passionate about the game and he supported the

96 History of Ancient Civilizations Sports Culture in Ancient Rome Unit 9

Green faction to such an extent that he would spend the night in the stable. In another instance, he awarded presents worth 20,000 gold pieces to a charioteer Eutychus. These games resulted in the growth of small scale industry selling souvenirs. These shops would be set up around the arenas and they would sell everyday utility items likes lamps, utensils, pottery items, statuettes etc.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Answer the following questions below- 1. Since when did the games become an annual affair? ______

2. When was the Ludi Plebeii held? ______

3. How many race teams were there in the Games? ______

9.4 GLADIATOR AND OTHER DEATH DEFYING GAMES

Roman games did not originally include the gladiator combats. Like so many apparent Roman innovations, gladiator combats were a borrowed entertainment. Two rival Italian peoples, the Etruscans and the Campanians are possible originators of these bloody celebrations. Archaeological evidence favours the Campanians. The Campanians and Etruscans first held combats as funeral rites, and the Romans did the same at first, calling them a munes. Like the Ludi, they were to gain a wider public role. , the great historian of early Rome, says the first public gladiator fights were held in 264 BC, still branded as funeral rites. Private shows became ever-growing public spectacles, staged to celebrate military victories and as a way for Emperors, generals and powerful men to win popularity. Fighters were dressed and armed as tribes

History of Ancient Civilizations 97 Unit 9 Sports Culture in Ancient Rome

the Romans had fought, like the Thracians and Samnites. Powerful men started to invest in gladiators and gladiator schools. Caesar staged games in 65 BC with 320 pairs of fighters as these contests became as publicly important as the old Ludi. The first emperor, , brought all games into state control and imposed limits on their number and extravagance. Only 120 gladiators could be used at each munes, only 25,000 denarii could be spent. These laws were often broken. celebrated his victories in Dacia with 123 days of games involving 10,000 gladiators. Rome had always held public executions. Emperor Augustus (ruled 27 BC – 14 AD) is thought to have been the first to publicly let loose wild beasts on the condemned. Executions were part of the circus – fitted in before the main event of the gladiator show. Criminals, army deserters, prisoners of war and political or religious undesirables were crucified, tortured, beheaded, maimed and tortured for the entertainment of the crowd. The is the most famous gladiatorial arena, a magnificent building that still stands today. Emperor Vespasian ordered it built in 70 AD and it took 10 years to finish. It was right in the middle of the city, an emblem of the power of the Roman Imperial state. It is a massive and complex , elliptical rather than a perfect circle. A canvas roof kept spectators dry and cool. The mass of numbered entrances and staircases; tiered numbered seats, and boxes for the rich and powerful would be familiar to a modern football fan. The sand-covered wooden floor stood over two basement levels of tunnels, cages and cells, from which animals, people and stage scenery could be delivered instantly through vertical access tubes. The Colosseum became a model for around the Empire. Particularly fine well-preserved examples can be found today from Tunisia to Turkey, Wales to Spain. As the two men get ready with their weapons, an excited crowd cheer loudly in anticipation. Both combatants realize full well that this day might be their last. They are gladiators, men who fight to the death for the enjoyment of others. As the two gladiators circle each other, each knows that his objective is to maim or trap his opponent rather than to kill him quickly. The gladiators jab swords and swing maces. They sweat in the hot

98 History of Ancient Civilizations Sports Culture in Ancient Rome Unit 9 sun. The victor waits for a sign from the crowd. If the losing gladiator has put up a good fight, the crowd might choose to spare his life — and the vanquished gladiator will live to fight another day. But if the crowd is dissatisfied with the losing fighter — as was usually the case — its dissatisfaction meant slaughter. The Etruscans of northern originally held public games, which featured such events as gladiator battles and chariot races, as a sacrifice to the gods. The Romans continued the practice, holding games roughly 10 to 12 times in an average year. Paid for by the emperor, the games were used to keep the poor and unemployed entertained and occupied. In Rome, the gladiatorial contests were held in the Coliseum, a huge stadium that first opened in 80 C.E. Located in the middle of the city, the Coliseum was circular in shape with three levels of arches around the outside. In height, the Coliseum was as tall as a modern 12-story building; it held 50,000 spectators. Like many modern professional sports , the Coliseum had box seats for the wealthy and powerful. The Coliseum was also watertight and could be flooded to hold naval battles. Special drains allowed water to be pumped in and released. But, naval battles were rarely held there because the water caused serious damage to the basic structure of the Coliseum. The gladiators themselves were usually slaves, criminals, or prisoners of war. Occasionally, the gladiators were able to fight for their freedom. Criminals who were sentenced to death were sometimes thrown into the arena unarmed to serve their sentence. Some people, including women, actually volunteered to be gladiators. They were willing to risk death for the possibility of fame and glory. Many gladiators went to special schools that trained them how to fight. Some gladiatorial contests included animals such as bears, rhinos, tigers, elephants, and giraffes. But sometimes hungry animals fought against gladiators in contests called venations. On rare occasions, the animals were allowed to maul and eat a live human who was tied to a stake.

History of Ancient Civilizations 99 Unit 9 Sports Culture in Ancient Rome

The spectacle of death in the arena aroused pleasure among the audiences. This was manifested in other games where beasts were involved. Let us know about this a little bit more. Venationes : As the power of Rome expanded, the need to display it became all the more necessary and this resulted in the use of giant beasts in the arena. The first of this kind of exhibition was held in 186 BC by Fulvius Nobilior to celebrate his victory over Aetolians. Initially these magnanimous beasts were brought for a display and served as exhibitive items. Gradually with the emergence of permanent amphitheatres, cells were made for them beneath the Colosseum before they were let loose in the arena. There were three forms of entertainment with regard to such games- a. One beast against two or more huntsmen b. One beast against another beast c. An unarmed man against a ferocious beast In all of these, one was the hunter and the other hunted. In case of category (c), the man would most likely be a Christian. Impact : These elaborate arrangements and preparation for sports entailed a lot of heavy expenditure. At a certain point it led to ruin. “Necessary evil” as said, such spectacles were a burden and succumbed owing to the pressure from the peers or the society. According to Cicero, such spectacles only displayed wealth and not the worth of the noblemen who gave such games. He argued that such expenditures on games, limited the chances of wide campaigning thus reducing the opportunity to prove the candidature in political power for the leaders. Such games were a form of political bribery as the passes for these shows were distributed among the influential class of people to woo them for electoral purposes. It was condemned in many circumstances.

ACTIVITY :

Watch the movie “Ben Hur” and “Gladiator” and write a short review.

100 History of Ancient Civilizations Sports Culture in Ancient Rome Unit 9

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Answer the following questions below- 4. Name the famous circus in Rome? ______5. Who were the Gladiators? ______6. What was the “”Necessary evil” as mentioned by Cicero? ______

9.5 LET US SUM UP

After going through this Unit, we have learned that-

 Games in Ancient Rome were an event full of pomp and grandeur.

 Games emerged as celebration for honouring the Gods and it continued for several days.

 Chariot racing, gladiator games were an incredible part of these festivals.

 Death defying games like Venationes were very popular with the people.

 The Games were a huge burden on the economy.

9.6 FURTHER READING

1. Eckart Kohne, Cornelia Ewigleben and Ralph Jackson. (2000). Gladiators and Caesars: The Power of Spectacle in Ancient Rome. University of California Press, LA 2. Alison Futrell. (2006). The Roman Games: Historical Sources i n Translation. Blackwell Publishing House, UK 3. Matz, David. (2016). Dangerous Sports in Ancient Rome: Gladiator Games, chariot racing and other death defying competitions. ABC-CLIO 4. Kyle, Donald G. (2015). Sports and Spectacle in the Ancient World. (2nd Edition). Wiley Blackwell, UK

History of Ancient Civilizations 101 Unit 9 Sports Culture in Ancient Rome

9.7 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Answer to Q. No. 1: 173 BC Answer to Q. No. 2: 216 BC Answer to Q. No. 3: 4 Answer to Q. No. 4: Circus Maximus was the most famous circus in Ancient Rome Answer to Q. No. 5: The Gladiators were usually slaves, criminals, or prisoners of war. Answer to Q. No. 6: “Necessary evil” as Cicero mentioned was about the spectacular nature of the Games.

9.8 MODEL QUESTIONS

A. Very Short Questions: (Answer each question in 50 words)

1. In whose honour was Ludi Megalenses celebrated? 2. When did Caesar stage the Gladiator games? 3. Who was Eutychus? B. Short Questions: (Answer each question in 150 words) 1. Write a short note on the Colosseum? 2. Why did Romulus hold the Chariot racing games? 3. In how many factions were the chariot racing team divided into? C. Essay Type Question: (Answer each question in 300-500 words) 1. Discuss the death defying games in Ancient Rome. 2. Explain the political nature of the games in Ancient Rome.

*** ***** ***

102 History of Ancient Civilizations