For safety, access routes were planned carefully to control the crowd, honeycombed stairwells reached different levels and the 76 arched entrances were numbered, each organized by social standing, such as the upper levels for the commoners were simple and undecorated, while the entrances used by the emperor was decorated with marble panelling.
The Colosseum suggests splendour and grandeur of the society in Rome whereas the central locality signifies the emperor’s patronage and power.
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What attitudes towards the Roman games did the ancient writers express? How would you account for the differences and the similarities between these attitudes?
The ancient writers attitudes towards the Roman games varied by the individual yet there were several similarities and differences where their views were concerned.
Martial, from Spain, attitude towards the Roman games was mainly admiration. His book of epigrams Liber de Spectaculis was published to celebrate the opening of the Colosseum in 80ce, it is thought to be commissioned by Emperor Titus. This publication had drawn Martial into the public eye. Throughout many of his poems he congratulates and compliments Caesar with elaborate imagery, for instance in poem 1: ‘All labor yields to Caesar’s Amphitheater.’ And in poem 9: ‘… the elephant adores you, Caesar, …’. Martial displays his admiration in his epigrams where he glorifies the events and some are based around legends (C1). Within these he re-enacts certain acts, for example in poem 3 where Pasiphae mated with a Dictaen Bull and in poem 7 where a tigress tears a lion apart, this indicates the values of strength and desire to win, which were extremely important in the games.
Statius, a poet and writer from Naples, describes in his piece Silvae how a lion battles in its final fight. Like Martial’s epigram, poem 7, the lion is compared to a brave human warrior in his final fight.
Suetonius, an imperial secretary in Rome was a biographer, praised the Roman games. The Emperor Titus (C5) demonstrates the goodness and kindness of the emperor. He states: ‘…he gave a most magnificent and costly gladiatorial show.’
Apuleius, an orator, philosopher and novelist from Numidia, showed amusement in his works, such as The Ass in the Arena (C2) where Lucius is turned into an ass.
Cicero, an orator and politician from Rome, attitude towards the Roman game was contrary with ‘good old Roman virtues’ (C8). His letters to his friends were intended for publication and they were organized in the history of time. In his letter Pompey’s Shows (C6) he discusses an incident with elephants where the crowd feels compassion for them, this is also mentioned in TV7. Cicero states: ‘But what pleasure can it be to a man or refinement when either a powerless man is torn by a very powerful beast […] if such things are worth seeing, you have seen them often; and we who were there saw nothing new.’ And in C8 he announces: ‘I know that in the eyes of some people the gladiatorial combats are a cruel and inhuman spectacle; and perhaps they are not wrong …’
Pliny the Younger, a correspondent from Italy, who was famous for his correspondence with Emperor Trojan, his attitude was similar to Cicero. In his Letter to Valerius Maximus he praises Caesar ‘You did well to put on a show of gladiators…’. His letters to his friends were organised, revised and published. Some of these letters were about the problems that were posed by the Christians.
Seneca, prominent philosopher and politician, approach towards the Roman games was disgust. He speaks in more philosophical terms than the others in his letter (C9) about the destruction of rationality. He is more concerned about what effects the games have on the spectators as he claims the games lowered the moral character of them. Instead of entertainment, Seneca witnessed sheer butchery. This butchery made the onlookers cruel and inhuman. Seneca expresses: ‘You ask me what you should regard as particularly to be avoided. A crowd. You can’t yet safely entrust yourself to it.’
St Augustine’s, a philosopher and Christian, attitude showed disapproval towards the Roman games. In his piece (C10) The Story of Alypius his tale is based on a young man who was against the games but he was coerced into the stadium where he closes his eyes, as he does not wish to view the games. However, due to the emotions of the crowd he opens his eyes and becomes one of them basking in the excitement and lust for blood. The tone of St Augustine’s words indicates disapproval, particularly: ‘… saw the blood, … had drunk a deep draught of savage passion. … revelled in the wickedness…’.
From the above examples it is clear that the attitudes towards the Roman games differed. Martial and Statius viewed the games as Roman soldierly values. They see the contenders, animals and human, promoting the morals and standards of Rome. However, Seneca and St Augustine saw the games as sheer butchery that was by no means a form of neither entertainment nor historical meaning. They were both concerned on what effects the games had on the spectators such as their state of mind, on the other hand little is said about the contenders themselves.
However, unlike Seneca and St Augustine, Martial and Statius show some compassion towards the animals in the arena, they regard them as combatants rather than wild beasts who display values such as strength, courage and desire to win, these were thought highly of within the Roman society.
While Cicero and Pliny the Younger had similar values with the Roman virtues where they praised Caesar and spoke of the importance of the displays of skill and bravery. They both thought the role of the games played were important where gaining prestige and status for those in political life. Suetonius is another who praised the emperor and his acts.
Overall, the philosophers commented on the effect of brutality on spectators and Christians viewed the death of a gladiator as a blow against evil.
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Bibliography
‘An Introduction to the Humanities: Illustration Book’
‘An Introduction to the Humanities: Resource Book 1’ (2005) Milton Keynes, The Open University.
‘An Introduction to the Humanities: The Colosseum: Block two’ (2005) Milton Keynes, The Open University.