Roman Games

Alison Futrell is Associate Professor of Roman History at the University of Arizona in Tucson and author of Blood in the Arena: The Spectacle of Roman Power (1997). Her current research interests are in representations of gender and power, both in the ancient past and in modern popular culture. Her recent projects include the cultural history of Spartacus and a monograph on Barbarian Queens.

"A lively and wide-ranging collection of sources on Roman public spectacle. Alison Futrell has made an excellent selection and she introduces and links the extracts with very lucid and helpful commentary. This book will be enormously beneficial for students and helpful to scholars too."—Jonathan Edmondson, York University, Toronto"This excellent book promises to be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the violent entertainments of the Roman arena. Futrell's collection of sources enables readers to see the broader context of the games, offering a first rate collection of material for life outside the amphitheater, as well as for events that took place within it."—David Potter, University of Michigan"Futrell's main purpose is to provide interesting, unusual material, and this she does ... Her brief explanatory notes are insightful, learned and intended to provoke further research. Those interested in ancient Rome will welcome this fine sourcebook ... Highly recommended."—Choice"This very useful book provides a wide-ranging collection of sources of different types on this ever-popular branch of Roman civilisation, offering valuable insights into aspects of Roman public entertainment. . . a worthwhile purchase for the school library."—Journal of Classics Teaching

• Illustrations viiiPreface ixAcknowledgments xi1 The Politics of the Arena 1Origin and Growth of Games 1Games and the Roman state 2Origins of gladiatorial combat 4Origins of wild animal shows 7Roman spectacle overseas 8Spectacle and Roman Politics 11Politics and shows 11Costs 14Control 18Violence 22Shows as political assembly 24Imperial Spectacle 29Ordinary spectacle 30The emperor and the arena 33The emperor and political spectacle 36Gladiators outside Rome 432 The Venue 52Republican Arenas 53Temporary structures in Rome 57Amphitheaters 59Disaster and control 61The Colosseum 62Military amphitheaters 66Special features 67Circuses 67Features of the Circus Maximus 73Circus as cosmos 76Naumachiae 77Stratification and Seating 803 A Day at the Games 84Preparation and Pompa 84Venationes 89Meridiani 89Munera 94The armatures 95The combats 99Good Spectacles vs. Bad Spectacles 103The Other Show: Audiences at the Games 104Dangerous games 107Special treats 110Food, spectacular food 111Sparsiones 111Inaugural Games at the Flavian Amphitheater 113Commodus’ Games 115Tainted by the Crowd 1174 The Life of the Gladiator 120Where Did Gladiators Come From? 120Prisoners of war 121Condemned criminals 122Slave gladiators and the Spartacan war 125Gladiators and status 130Free gladiators 132Choosing gladiatorial status 134Glory 135Life in the Ludi 138Death or Survival 143Sexy Gladiators 146Death and Choice 147Gladiator Familiae 148Female Performers: Gladiatrices and Ludia 153Crimes of Status: Elites in the Arena 156Imperial Gladiators 1585 Christians and the Arena 160Rome and the Christians: The Official Relationship 160The Neronian persecution 161Trajan’s policy 163Christian Denunciation of the Arena 165The Arena and Christian Identity 169Martyr Acts 172Christian Rome and the Arena 1866 Chariot Races and Water Shows 189Chariot Races 189The events 191Charioteers 198The horses 205The colors 207Circus fans 210Emperors as fans 213Fan clubs and unrest 213The Nika revolt 215Water Shows 218Timeline of Roman History 222Glossary of Terms and Names 229Notes 232Suggestions for Further Reading 245Index 248