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Exhibition season 23 JUNE, 2017 – 28 JANUARY, 2018 TEACHER GUIDE Helmet of a Provocator, from the Barracks of the Gladiators of Pompeii, Bronze, c.1 AD. © Rógvi N. Johansen, Department of photo and medie Moesgaard. All rights reserved This Teacher Guide was developed by Queensland Museum Learning and is intended to support teachers when planning a class visit to the Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum exhibition. Learning Resources produced by Queensland Museum cannot be reproduced or used for commercial purposes in any form. Material remains the property of Queensland Museum or other therein acknowledged sources, and normal copyright laws apply. INDEX Pg 2 Introduction Pg 3 Making the most of your visit to Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum Teacher offer Age Suitability Curriculum links and cross-curricular applications for the classroom Group size Duration Pg 4 Booking your visit to Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum Pg 5-6 Exhibition layout , map and what to expect with your visit experience Pg 7-13 Exhibition themes Pg 14-15 Meet the Team: Museum staff share how they acquired their Museum role and what it entails. Pg 16 Gladiators hiding in museum collections Pg 17 External Links Pg INTRODUCTION Gladiators have been immortalised in myth and legend from Hollywood movies to Lego! But the most authentic immortalisation of these warrior athletes can be found by de-coding evidence – in ancient sites, mosaics, frescoes, museum objects and texts as well as less salubrious findings such as the graffiti, trash and lost property of those who cheered and jeered from the stadia. This exhibition brings the role of the Gladiator, the spectacle of the arena and the culture of Imperial Rome to life. Evidence presented challenges us with concepts entertainment, sport, public service or propaganda as well as the value placed on human (and animal) life. This international exhibition of over 120 objects was collected from sites such as the Colosseum and the Gladiator School at Pompeii. These historical artefacts are investigated, identified and invigorated through evocative projections, costumed mannequins and hands- on experiences: Peer out through the visor of a reproduction thraex helmet, raise a gladius sword to issue the final blow, be surrounded by four tiers of spectators and investigate the objects that tell us these stories. Witness the delicate to destructive – from a lost hairpin, bronze surgical scalpel and fine curving musical horn to spearheads, armour, and the skull of a bear killed in the Colosseum. Art, archaeology and architecture reveal many aspects of this epoch in history. This Guide provides teachers with extra insight to assist with planning a class visit to the exhibition. Tabulated Curriculum Links and an Exhibition Map to complement this kit are also available for download. 2 JUST FOR TEACHERS Exhibition preview opportunities: Queensland Museum invites you to consider two options for previewing this exhibition to help plan your visit effectively. OPTION 1: Early Bird exhibition viewing. July 10 – 28, 2017. Preview this exhibition FREE OF CHARGE. Offer valid for a limited time and for limited sessions. Teachers may enter sessions from 3:00pm – 4:00pm (the exhibition and Queensland Museum closes at 5:00pm). Present at the exhibition entry, Level 3. Entry is at staff discretion. Admission is free with provision of current contact details and proof of teacher registration/photo ID. OPTION 2: Teacher Preview Event (CPD certificates of attendance will be issued). Thursday 20 July, 2017. Teachers are invited to join us after-hours for this unique Professional Development event. Learning and Curatorial staff offer insight into museum services, practices and the Gladiator exhibition experience. This presentation is followed by exclusive exhibition viewing and opportunity to network and browse the shop for resources. Claim the date: Tickets available soon MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR EXHIBITION VISIT Age suitability: This exhibition is recommended for ages 8+ . Curriculum relevance: Tabulated Australian Curriculum links and cross-curricular suggestions available for download. Group size: To optimise your visit experience, sessions of 50 (students + adults) will be scheduled. Large groups may be required to view the exhibition in rotations. Our Booking Officer will coordinate your visit itinerary. Recommended duration inside exhibition: 1 hour. Please note, some interactive experiences may be popular with your students (photography is permitted). This may require supervisors to manage group movement and time, to ensure all exhibition sections are explored. Your session may include General Public visitors. We ask students and supervisors to be mindful of others. Supervisors are encouraged to liaise with staff at the exhibition entry or inside the exhibition if assistance is required. 3 TO BOOK YOUR VISIT Find out more and/or book your visit using any of these options: Web: Go to Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum - Visiting with a School Submit the online booking form. Phone: Queensland Museum & Sciencentre Booking Office on 3840 7608 (8:15am to 3:30pm, Monday - Friday). Email: [email protected] Your Queensland Museum visit may include additional experiences such as School Programs, Sciencentre visit or a Museum “general visit” (please indicate if these preferences apply). ADMISSION TO Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum Groups comprise of 10+ paying students or children’s groups (scouts, vacation care, home- schoolers, etc. are categorised with ‘schools’ and offered the same entry fee and discounts). Entry fee: $10 per child / student. Supervising adults are admitted free within recommended ratios. Prep 1 adult free for every 3 students Primary (years 1 – 6) 1 adult free for every 5 students Secondary (years 7 – 10) 1 adult free for every 10 students Senior Secondary (years 11 – 12) 1 adult free for every 15 students Additional adults with a school/children’s group at discounted ticket price of $16 Image courtesy of Contemporanea Progetti 4 EXHIBITION LAYOUT Exhibition map: Floorplan showing different exhibition zones and orientation within Museum Building available for download. Your arrival time is structured to ensure your students have adequate viewing access and movement throughout the exhibition galleries. Visitor services staff will direct you to the exhibition on Level 3 as per your booked time slot. Ensure your students (and supervising adults) are aware of any dedicated instructions for the exhibition and other facilities. Please note there is a gift shop at the exhibition exit and no toilets inside the exhibition. This exhibition features no audio guides or seated theatre session, but throughout the exhibition, several audio visual screens portray re-enactments, animations and documentary footage. No trail or worksheets accompany this exhibition as it is highly immersive and interactive. 5 WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU VISIT As with many museum exhibitions, Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum is displayed in subdued lighting. This enhances the video projections while protecting the artifacts. The exhibition does offer touchable authentic and reproduction material. Photography is encouraged and experiences range from touching fragments of masonry from the Colosseum itself, to trying on a provocator helmet or striking a training pole with a wooden gladius (training sword). An introductory video by exhibition Curator, Dr Rosella Rea is available inside the exhibition. The exhibition is arranged in 6 zones (see map and additional information, following pages). 6 EXHIBITION THEMES ROOM 1: INTRODUCTION (Includes animated map and timeline showing the expansion of the Roman Empire, with mannequins depicting the Gallic warrior and Roman Legionary) Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum In the ancient Roman Empire, gladiators were elite athletes who took part in violent combat. These often deadly spectacles attracted thousands of ordinary citizens. From A Village to a Super Power It started with a village. According to legend, Rome was founded on the banks of the Tiber River in the 8th century BC. Over the period of a thousand years, the village became a magnificent city on seven hills and the centre of the Imperium Romanum, a power that would conquer and culturally shape large parts of the known world. From All Over the World The Roman army was the backbone of the Empire. Its development from a militia group to a force of voluntary citizens and, finally, to a standing professional army was the factor that enabled Rome to become a military super power. 7 ROOM 2: SEVEN CENTURIES OF GLADIATOR GAMES (Includes touchscreen timeline connecting artefacts with historical events, social change, key identities and sites) Gladiator Contests and Animal Hunts. Seven centuries of spectacle In the 1st century AD, the early part of the Imperial Period, the Romans combined gladiatorial games with hunting, a favourite sport, to create major public spectacles. Gladiator Contests. How it all began Early forerunners of gladiator contests took place in southern Italy around 350 BC, but the first recognised contests took place in Rome almost a century later. The spectacles became larger and more popular and, eventually, the State organised its own public games. Hunting Animals. The time of the Republic Spectacles involving animals were an integral part of Roman society long before gladiator contests began. The first public venatio, or animal show, which involved hunting and killing wild animals such as lions and panthers, took place in Rome in 186 BC. The driving force behind it was the General Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, who was inspired by a military victory in Aetolia (Greece). Such was the interest in hunting among wealthy citizens at the time that the Senate imposed restrictions on the import of animals into Italy, though the restrictions did not apply to public spectacles. Spectacles as a State Affair. The time of the Emperors Gladiator contests and hunting parties had their heyday in the first three centuries AD. These state- sponsored spectacles were financed by tax revenue. Spectacles In Decline. The 4th And 5th Centuries Ad The games began decline in the 4th century AD, mainly for economic reasons.
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