Exam Study Material Flashcards
Who would become gladiators?
Slaves (Servus)
Condemned Criminals (Damnatus)
Free Volunteers (Auctoratus)
What was the palm tree a symbol of?
Judaism
What were the cons of being a free volunteer gladiator? (4)
- You’re no longer free
- Forced to do the bidding of someone else
- You couldn’t vote in elections or testify in court (infamia)
- You had to take an oath that you had to obey.
What were the pros of being a free volunteer gladiator?
- You could gain money
- you could gain glory/fame
When could slave gladiators gain their freedom?
At the discretion of their owner or audience demand
When could condemned criminal gladiators gain their freedom?
After 5 years (3 years of fighting minimum)
When could a free volunteer gladiator gain their freedom?
As specified in their contract
What nationality was Spartacus
Thracian
How many slave revolts were there?
3
What was Spartacus’ slave revolt called?
The third Servile War
Who bought Spartacus?
Gnaeus lentulus Batiatus
what armature was Spartacus?
Murmillo
How long was Spartacus’ Revolt?
73-71 BCE
How big was Spartacus’ army?
Estimates say somewhere between 60k-124k
Where was Spartacus’ final battle?
The River Silarius
What modern perspectives are there of Spartacus (5)
- A just and heroic rebel promoting individual human rights and freedoms
- A symbol of national self-determination and unity
- A model of socialist resistance to economic exploitation and inequality in oppressive capitalist systems.
- A figure of resistance to injustices in general
- A symbol of gay liberation
Could a freed gladiator lose their infamia?
No. You were forever infamis
What were the steps in becoming a gladiator? (4)
- Swearing an oath (Sacramentum)
- Acquiring a Stage Name (Nomen)
- Adopting an Armature (Armatura)
- Being Ranked as a New Recruit (Tiro)
What was a gladiator doctor?
Doctors were official trainers of Gladiators
What is a Lanista
A lanista could be the owner of a gladiator school or the head trainer.
What is a gladiator familia?
A familia is a family or household that the gladiators would live in together.
Was it good to be called a Lanista?
No. lanista was a very lowly term that carried infamia. (similar to a pimp)
How did editors get their gladiators? (3)
- Have their own
- Rent them out
- Hire a volunteer
What were the types of gladiator schools? (Ludi) (3)
- Private
- Municipal
- Imperial
How often would gladiators fight?
1-3 times a year
What is a Ludia?
A ludus-girl. Doesnt have a concrete definition. It could mean a girl having anything to do with the gladiators. (sex, being a gladiator, trainer,etc)
What are Paegniarii
They are playfighters
What is Hoiden?
A term similar to the modern term of “tomboy”
What are Gladiatrice?
Unofficial term for Women gladiators
What gods did Gladiators pray to? (4)
- Hercules
- Mars (men)
- Venus (women)
- Nemesis
What were the causes of the disappearance of the gladiators? (3)
- Christian Attacks
- General lack of interest
- Too expensive
Christian attacks on the Munera (3)
- Involved idolatry (worship of demons)
- Corrupted audience members
- Made audience members complicit in murder
What were the 4 main factions of Chariot Racers?
Reds, Blues, Greens, and Whites.
(Blues and Greens were by far the most popular)
What is Naumachia?
Naval Battles
What universal reasons did the Romans have gladiators for? (5)
- general need to experience violence,
suffering, and death - Taking pleasure in another persons suffering
- Means of coming to terms with death
- means of controlling and negating
aggressive impulses - Means of empowerment and releasing
collective tensions
What Roman-specific reasons did the romans have gladiators for? (5)
- Unique bloodthirstiness and sadism of
Romans - lack of value given to life and individual freedom
- Humiliation of enemies and glorification of Rome
- Promotion of Military values
- Sacrifice to please the dead or gods
