- Unit 5. Social Life
- Getting Started
  - What Are We Learning?
  - Observe and Think
  - Map Your Mind
- Social Life
  - Time Measurement
  - The Average Day
  - Family
  - Education
  - Clothing
  - Gastronomy
  - Sport in Greece
  - Entertainment in Rome
    - Bathing
    - Circus
    - Amphitheatre
- Self-Evaluation Quiz
- Complementary Activities
  - The Greek and Latin Roots of English
  - One Myth One Song
  - Games, Comics and Stuff
- References

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# Amphitheatre

From our Correspondent

> Amphitheaters were most commonly used for gladiatorial matches which had been adapted from Etruscan funeral rites (munera). By the last 1st century BC, however, the games had lost their ritualistic significance.

> Gladiators came from various lots of life. Originally, there were gladiatorial schools, but these came under state control in the 1st century BC to avoid them becoming private armies. The majority of gladiators were either condemned criminals (damnati), slaves, prisoners of war, or volunteers who signed up to do shows for a fee. There were four main types of gladiator:

> > Murmillo: Fought with a helmet adorned by a fish crest, an oblong shield, and a sword. He usually fought a retiarius.
> > Retiarius: A lightly armed gladiator with a net, brandishing either a trident or a dagger.
> > Samnite: Utilized a sword, visor and helmet, and an oblong shield.
> > Thracian: Combated with a curved scimitar and round shield.

> Various other weapons, women, and sometimes even dwarves were used in the games. Special types of "wild animal matches" (venationes) were introduced in the 2nd Century BC and became very popular. Such bouts included men on foot and on horseback, known as beastiarii, who were usually either criminals, prisoners of war, or trained and paid fighters. Beastiarii fought exotic animals, which eventually led to an extensive trade market. Originally, wild animal matches took place on the morning of the games, the public executions were held at midday, and then the gladiatorial matches. Over time, however, these divisions became blurred, and often many fights would take place at once, giving the appearance of a battle. Other spectacles included mock naval battles (naumachiae), known to take place on artificial lakes, as well as animal performances, accompanied by music.

Excerpted from http://library.thinkquest.org/26602/entertainment.htm

## Activity: Dressed to Kill

Sometimes, it is not that easy to identify the features of each type of gladiator. Thanks to this activity you will be able to do it much better. You must equip three gladiators for a fight. Just click on the Thracian's helmet to launch the activity.

Translation
Pollice Verso, is a very well-known painting by the French painter Jean Leon Gêrome. With the help of the magnifier answer the following questions.

1. What kind of gladiator is the winner?

2. What kind of gladiator is the one on the sand raising his arm? Why is he doing that?

3. Who are the ladies dressed in white veils in the upper right hand corner? Write some words about them. What are they doing?

4. What does Pollice Verso mean?

5. Who is the man in the magnificent box? What symbols represent his power?

1. He is a murmillo; he fought with a helmet adorned by a fish crest, an oblong shield and a sword.

2. He is a retiarius, murmillo's usual opponent; he was armed with a net, brandishing either a trident or a dagger.

3. The Vestal Virgins. They were the revered priestesses responsible for tending the sacred flame of the House of Vesta on the Forum. They are turning their thumbs down.

4. It means "with a turned thumb". If the thumbs turned down, the winner should finish off the loser.

5. He is the emperor. The imperial eagles.
Jean Leon Gêrome, Pollice Verso
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