Ancient Roman Gladiators.

Aspects of the Gladiator

There are two sides to every story, clearly this was the case when the first Gladiator took the stage, for a revolution that changed history as we know it. The Gladiator was first known as the munus, or a funeral gift for the dead, but as time progressed so did the Gladiator. Many people in Roman society weren't exposed to such violence and hatred, but as society today proves, that very well might be the basis of our societies today. Even though the science of the Gladiator was short lived, it still remains as one of the pioneer sports to evolve to what we have today.

The two aspects of the Gladiator that helped in the rise and fall were closely entwined. One being the people who despised such a inhumane act, still found it amusing when a slave was killed or put up to fight.

Gladiators from the Zliten mosaic.

show fight in Carnuntum: thraex vs. murmillo gladi...

Gladiatorial combat scenes. Mosaic from Verona.

Thus leaving the door wide open for the sport, with little or no contradicting force. In the beginning there wasn't much of an entertainment side of the Gladiator as much as the sacrifice for the dead. Time did tell a story here when Gladiators were starting to be recruited from slaves, criminals, and prisoners of war not to just be sacrificed for the dead, but for the community in the interest of the people and Emperors. Gladiator fights weren't incorporated into the public games until the late first century. When it was though, the people and emperors were swept away by Gladiator mania. Emperors such as Caligula and Commodus both participated in the Gladiator fights with weak opponents though. At least seven other emperors of sound mind including Titus and Hadrian either practiced as gladiators or fought in

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the contests. Gladiator fighting was as much a science as is...