Roman Gladiator Research Paper

A gladiator was a trained warrior who fought bloody battles to entertain the ancient romans. According to tradition, gladiators were introduced to Rome in 264 B.C., when Decimus Junius Brutus had three pairs of gladiators fight during his father's funeral. The games soon became very popular soon after. The gladiatorial games could be compared to that of a present day circus. Gladiators were usually prisoners of wars, prisoners who committed serious crimes, or slaves. The Romans built many structures and amphitheaters such as the Colosseum. The Colosseum could seat up to fifty thousand to eighty thousand, but usually had an average audience of approximately fifty thousand. The amphitheater had the most updated technology of the time. For
example, the amphitheater was covered by an awning system to protect the spectators from the weather.
The awning system was controlled by a series a poles that could be used to open and close the awning. The place where you were seated depended not on the price of the ticket, but on your social class.The building of the Colosseum helped create a place for leisure and showed the wealth of the Roman Empire. Also, the Colosseum was used to showcase the variety of exotic animals that they used to fight the gladiators. At the Colosseum, wild beasts fought in the morning, and the gladiators fought in the afternoon. Gladiators used a variety of weapons such as the oblong shield, a visored helmet, and a sword. Gladiators usually fought until one was killed. However, the life of the loser could be spared if the spectators waved handkerchiefs. Most gladiators were prisoners of war, slaves, or criminals who were required to fight in these contests. However, some free men fought for money and fame. Successful gladiators became famous in Rome. Gladiators were carefully fed, and they received medical care. They were generally housed in barracks. Most of the contests after that were held at funerals or celebrations, and were under state control.These cruel battles prepared the Roman citizens for the sight of human bloodshed, so they could endure war
better. The battles were finally banned about 404 A.D. by Emperor Honorius. The Colosseum suffered tremendous damage and was pilfered several times over the centuries. The monk Bede in the 8th century, stated “ While the Colosseum stands, Rome shall stand; when the Colosseum falls, Rome shall when; when Rome falls, the world fall. Rome spent so much money on games and gladiatorial events that they neglected work and building up the empire.