Pompeii and Herculaneum Leisure Activities
Pompeii and Herculaneum: Leisure Activities
For each I've chosen one main source, and gathered a variety of other sources to help explain and reinforce it further. I find that one source (particularly buildings alone) are not enough to base all of the information on, and you gain a more comprehensive understanding by combining them.
Entertainment was essential to daily life in Ancient Rome. According to Juvenal1, it seemed that all Romans were interested in was "bread and circuses," and with theatres, amphitheatres, gambling, drama and public baths galore, the Romans never seemed to get bored.
Source 1: Pompeian Amphitheatre * Built in 70BC, Pompeii's amphitheatre is the oldest and most complete pre-Colosseum style amphitheatre in the Roman world. * Located in the south eastern corner of the city. It survived the eruption of Vesuvius almost intact, it also offers fascinating insight into the design of amphitheatres and their importance to Roman society. * According to inscriptions, (found on the amphitheatre) Pompeii’s amphitheatre was built by C. Quintius Valgus and M Procius. * The floor of the amphitheatre was all sand, to soak up the blood spilt. * The amphitheatre was central to life in Pompeii. It was amongst the first buildings reconstructed after the earthquake in 62AD, despite the fact that no games had been held there for 3 years. In 59AD, deadly riots broke out between Pompeian spectators Nucerians. As a result, a ten year ban was placed on gladiatorial contests in the city. The ban was most probably revoked following the earthquake as a way of lifting the moral of Pompeii’s citizen’s. * The arena accommodated all social classes, demonstrating the universal popularity of the games. The 35 rows of seats which could accommodate 20000 people were divided into three areas to accommodate three distinct social groupings of spectators from the city and its outlying regions:
- ima cavae - ran around the arena and was kept
For each I've chosen one main source, and gathered a variety of other sources to help explain and reinforce it further. I find that one source (particularly buildings alone) are not enough to base all of the information on, and you gain a more comprehensive understanding by combining them.
Entertainment was essential to daily life in Ancient Rome. According to Juvenal1, it seemed that all Romans were interested in was "bread and circuses," and with theatres, amphitheatres, gambling, drama and public baths galore, the Romans never seemed to get bored.
Source 1: Pompeian Amphitheatre * Built in 70BC, Pompeii's amphitheatre is the oldest and most complete pre-Colosseum style amphitheatre in the Roman world. * Located in the south eastern corner of the city. It survived the eruption of Vesuvius almost intact, it also offers fascinating insight into the design of amphitheatres and their importance to Roman society. * According to inscriptions, (found on the amphitheatre) Pompeii’s amphitheatre was built by C. Quintius Valgus and M Procius. * The floor of the amphitheatre was all sand, to soak up the blood spilt. * The amphitheatre was central to life in Pompeii. It was amongst the first buildings reconstructed after the earthquake in 62AD, despite the fact that no games had been held there for 3 years. In 59AD, deadly riots broke out between Pompeian spectators Nucerians. As a result, a ten year ban was placed on gladiatorial contests in the city. The ban was most probably revoked following the earthquake as a way of lifting the moral of Pompeii’s citizen’s. * The arena accommodated all social classes, demonstrating the universal popularity of the games. The 35 rows of seats which could accommodate 20000 people were divided into three areas to accommodate three distinct social groupings of spectators from the city and its outlying regions:
- ima cavae - ran around the arena and was kept