Gladiatorial Games in Ancient Rome

Gladiatorial Games in Ancient capital of ItalyLittle doubt the gladiatorial games at Romes Colosseum would have been blood-fuelled, brutal spectacles. The knowledge of the games has been left through stories, letters and poems of corking papistic politicians and writers. This essay will briefly examine how various Roman writers responded to the games, and how those reactions were similar or different. The conclusion will identify reasons why these writers may have held their opinions about the games.Seneca, a politician who died around 65 CE, has the same lieu as Cicero, displaying no satisfaction in the Roman gladiatorial shows. However, Seneca condemns the shows in a direct fashion. First, he declares no trust in mavens ability to retain their moral character when one is engulfed in a crowd. Ones moral character becomes damaged, becoming more greedy, more ambitious, more self-indulgentmore cruel and inhuman.6 Second, Seneca proclaims that one does not find entertainment in th e shows, only sheer butchery.7 As any victor in one challenge is simply offered in the next fight, the shows teach lessons in cruelty to those who cannot benefit from it.8 warriorlike, on the other hand, glorifies the gladiatorial games. militant lived from 40 -103 CE and power have been connected to Senecas family. Martials On the glasses exalts Romes Colosseum to the highest level, comparing its greatness to the wonders of the world, such as Babylons gardens.9 Martial believes that the fallen in the arena have a just end as only guilty criminals or animals fall in the arena. On the glasses vividly describes the gore and encourages those from far away to witness the spectacle for themselves, almost like a tourist advertisement.10Statius, who wrote around the same condemnation as Martial, has a different view on the games in The Tame Lion. This poem mourns the death of one lion in the arena. So tragic is it that the king of hunters has been tamed that even Caesar sheds a tear fo r the fallen lion.11 This directly contrasts Martials image of a treacherous lion that had dared to violate and victimize his master.12 Statius views the loss of the beast as tragic, Martial as deserved. The Tame Lion shows that Statius believes that the gladiatorial games diminish the glory of hunters.In a letter to Valerius Maximus, Pliny the Younger praises the politician for putting on a great spectacle for the people of Verona. Pliny was a politician who lived from 61-112 CE. Pliny declared it a suitable event for a funeral tribute to Valerius Maximuss wife.13 Plinys attitude about the games is neutral, expressing neither detest nor affection for the spectacles, which is unsurprising in a document addressed to one who holds the games. What the letter does reveal is that Pliny believes the games are necessary gestures of generosity when the universal demands such events. Thus, strange many of the other Roman writers, Pliny finds value in the games in that they satisfy the de sires of the public.St. Augustine lives much later than the other writers featured in this essay, between 354-430 CE. By this time Christianity had been accepted as a religion in the Roman Empire. St. Augustine was one of the great Christian philosophers. In The Story of Alypius, St. Augustine reveals a similar reaction to the games as Senecas reaction, that is, once surrounded in a crowd, ones character will be irreparably damaged. In the story, Alypius attends the games believing he is unafraid enough to resist temptation of the cruel games. The problem, according to St. Augustine, is that Alypius trusted in himself instead of God, and he too falls prey to the savage games.14 As St. Augustine was a Christian philosopher, there is little wonder that he declared those who viewed the wickedness of fighting as ones filled with savage passion.15 St. Augustine would have linked the games with Romes Pagan past.Thus, most of the Roman writers believe that the games are bloodthirsty event s, offering entertainment of little value. Pliny the Youngers belief that the games are necessary for public goodwill stands out from the others. Many of them critique the games in a negative way, focusing on how being part of a crowd may harm ones moral character. Martial is one of the few writers who directly praises the spectacles. Perhaps he was trying to gain favour from the Emperor, as On the specs reads like a tourist advertisement for the games at the Colosseum. St. Augustines view on the games is not surprising. As a Christian philosopher, he would have treasured the Roman Empire to distance itself from events that were notable in its former Pagan past. Clearly, the writings show that the spectacles at the Colosseum were controversial affairs.ReferencesAugustine, St., The Story of Alypius in pick Book 1, clear University.Cicero, Pompeys Shows in Resource Book 1, Open University._____. Philosophical Discussion in Resource Book 1, Open University.Martial, On the Spectacle s in Resource Book 1, Open University.Pliny the Younger, Letter to Valerius Maximus in Resource Book 1, Open University.Seneca, Letter 7 in Resource Book 1, Open University.Statius, The Tame Lion in Resource Book 1, Open University.1Footnotes1 Cicero, Philosophical Discussion, 98.2 ibid.3 Cicero, Pompeys Shows, 97.4 Ibid.5 Ibid.6 Seneca, Letter 7, 99.7 Ibid.8 Ibid.9 Martial, On The Spectacles, 91-92.10 Ibid., 93.11 Statius, The Tame Lion, 98.12 Martial, On The Spectacles, 92.13 Pliny, Letter to Valerius Maximus, 96.14 St. Augustine, The Story of Alypius, 100.15 Ibid.