Colosseum
The ninth emperor of the Roman Empire Vespasianus built the Colosseum and the official name of the Colosseum is the Vespasianus Amphitheater.
After the emperor Nero built a giant statue called a colossus, near the Vespasianus Amphitheater, it started to become called the Colosseum. Thus, during Commodus’s reign, the Colosseum wasn’t called the Colosseum yet.
The Colosseum became a landmark of Rome and Italy.
The Colosseum served as an amphitheater for gladiator tournaments, beast shows, naval battle reenactment (historians don’t know exactly how but there were records of naval battles)., reenactment of historic events and myths and executions that the public could see including oppression on Christians.
Commodus’s purpose of hosting gladiator tournaments at the Colosseum.
In the movie, Commodus hosted the gladiator tournaments and justified it is a commemoration to his father Marcus Aurelius.
However, Commodus had no accomplishments and wished to seduce the Roman public to favor him by hosting the gladiator tournaments.
In real history, Commodus neglected the governance of Rome and he was mentally shell shocked by his sister Lucilla’s assassination attempt at the Colosseum.
Commodus who loved gladiator events became obsessed with gladiator tournaments as he was in mental shock and only focused on the joy and pleasure from the events at the Colosseum.
Commodus participated in hundreds of tournaments himself and eventually he was assassinated by his wrestling instructor as a political dispute broke during Commodus’s negligence of governing the Roman Empire.
Policies to keep the people ignorant – Bread and Circus – 3S Policy
Policies to keep the people ignorant refers to policies to distract the citizens and public from politics by various entertainment. The Bread and Circus is a metaphor for such policies.
In South Korea the dictator and president of South Korea Duhwan Jun who took over South Korea by a coup de tat would utilize the Bread and Circus called the 3S policy. The 3S policy refers to Sports(S), Sex(s), and Screen(s).
Roman Emperors would also use such 3S policy and the Bread and Circus to distract the public from politics while entertaining them to receive political support from a populist perspective.
The Colosseum was full of blood, stories, disgusting sexual events such as bestiality and brutal cruel executions and all sorts of events.
Origins of the Gladiator
The gladiator tournaments originated from a game called Munera that was a ritual to honor the dead.
The origins of Munera is unknown where some believe Munera derived from Etruria the civilization of Italy before Rome or the Samnites that were an Italian race that opposed Rome.
Munera was a funeral ritual that was sponsored by private individuals that were often high class and wealthy to offer blood to the dead.
Wealthy people would hire people to fight at a funeral blood spilt was offered as ‘honor’ to the dead. Rome would ban such private events; however Rome would incorporate such munera into public and official gladiator tournaments.
Did only slaves fight at Gladiator tournaments?
At first, only slaves usually captured during wars were trained as gladiators and fought each other. However, as time went by, gladiators became considered great entertainers and gained immense popularity.
Even nobles would apply to become a gladiator and make contracts as they favored the fame and glory as an entertainer.
Slaves could even be freed if they had enough fame and accomplishments achieved as a gladiator by receiving the wooden sword the rudis.
Life threats of gladiators
Gladiators were first considered expendables, however as gladiators gradually became the main stream entertainment and became celebrities, many wished to become gladiators and even trained to become one that increased the competition.
Gladiators changed from expendables to current day sport stars and celebrities and training a gladiator required much capital and time.
Thus, gladiators later became expensive entertainers and unless for rare occasions, the lives of gladiators were spared unlike the descriptions shown in the movie Gladiator. There were even referees assigned to prevent gladiators from severely harming each other.
Thumbs up or down by the emperor Commodus – Determination of death for gladiators
In the movie Gladiator, Commodus could decide the death and fate of a gladiator by simply presenting a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Even in history, the emperors of Rome could intervene and decide the fate of a gladiator by a simple gesture.
However, such occasions were rare as gladiators were popular entertainers favored by the public so the emperor couldn’t do whatever he wished and had to abide by the public’s demand.
Financing and overspending of Gladiator Tournaments
Gladiator tournaments not only hosted entertainment for the public but they needed to provide food and pleasure for the public.
Hosting gladiator tournaments cost a budget and held a great financial burden. By hosting gladiator tournaments for hundreds of consecutive days,
Commodus and the Roman Empire had to suffer the consequences of the financial expenditures.
Shipping beasts and animals along with providing rations of bread along with fresh fruits and vegetables where refrigerators were absent cost a fortune during the timepoint of the Roman Empire.
Brutality and cruelness of events hosted at Gladiator Tournaments
The fight between gladiators often presented as reenactment of historic events was the main show of gladiator tournaments.
The battle between gladiators were usually presented in the afternoon as the main show for the public. The opening shows and entertainment of gladiator tournaments usually hosted before noon and around noon, however was cruel and brutal.
Brutal execution shows that included executions of Christinas using hideous machinery or animals were hosted for entertainment. Sometimes death row inmates were burnt alive, thrown from a high height or torn apart to death simply to entertain the public.
Women were treated with pheromones and bestialized by animals and beasts where sometimes their spines were broken by the sheer force of the animals.
Even if women survived the tragedy, they were eventually eaten alive by unleashed animals. The public would enjoy such porn and sadistic events while they gobbled on the bread and meat that provided.
Often times the animals and beasts were slaughtered as an event and roasted to be shared to the public. Although there weren’t much deaths of gladiators in actual history, realty of other events were much cruel and brutal than described in the movie Gladiator.
