Gladiatorial festivals were heavily advertised and promoted to increase attendance. Previews and descriptions of coming attractions were posted all around cities in order to increase attention so more Romans would be able to enjoy the violent yet entertaining procedure of a Roman arena.
The opening ceremony consisted of a chariot drive and parade which was led and presented by the sponsor of the games, followed by a tremendous feast given to the contestants scheduled to appear at tomorrow’s games. The gladiators were displayed in uniforms dyed purple with gold; a symbol of both power and authority. The gladiators marched around the arena followed by slaves bearing their armor and weapons. When the men reached the side of the arena opposite the emperor’s platform or box, they outstretched their right hands and said, “Ave, imperator, morituri te salutant!”, which translates to “Hail, emperor, greetings from men about to die!”
The first procession of the games themselves displayed a convicted criminal being thrown to a lion. He was given a small sword yet no armor, and if he was able to defeat the beast, he was granted his life. An alternative opening was to tie a criminal to a pillar and slowly lower him into a pit of starving and ravenous beasts, a great way to get the spectators hungry for more blood and violence. After these events, the animals were lead out to the arena where they were pitted against each other, most commonly a lion against a bear. Next came a break in which a battle between a fully armed gladiator versus an unarmed man took place, the object simply to kill your opponent as brutally as possible.
In the afternoon, the real gladiatorial events began. First came the bloodless paegniarii battles, followed by one of the most civil fights, the hand to hand combatants. There were also battles in which a gladiator would be outnumbered by unarmed assailants, yet usually the trained and equipped gladiators prevailed. These along with fights between groups of gladiators were among the most popular attractions at a gladiatorial festival.
If a gladiator were to fall, his fate was most likely in the hands of the spectators. The heralds raised their trumpets and spectators shouted, “Habet, hoc habet”, or “Got him! He’s had it!” If able to, the fallen fighter would raise a finger on the left hand, signifying his beg for mercy. If the crowd gave the thumbs up, his life was spared. If not, he was murdered without hesitation. The bodies were carried out of the arenas by Charons, men dressed to resemble Mercury, the Etruscan reaper of souls.
If a fighter were to have given an unsatisfactory display, or if a criminal’s survival was undesired by the crowd, his life would be risked again and he was thrown back into the fray however if a win was felt to have been deserved by the crowd, the combatant was either given a wooden sword of a palm branch signifying their freedom from the games. Prizes such as money, women, and land were also provided by the host of the event.
The opening ceremony consisted of a chariot drive and parade which was led and presented by the sponsor of the games, followed by a tremendous feast given to the contestants scheduled to appear at tomorrow’s games. The gladiators were displayed in uniforms dyed purple with gold; a symbol of both power and authority. The gladiators marched around the arena followed by slaves bearing their armor and weapons. When the men reached the side of the arena opposite the emperor’s platform or box, they outstretched their right hands and said, “Ave, imperator, morituri te salutant!”, which translates to “Hail, emperor, greetings from men about to die!”
The first procession of the games themselves displayed a convicted criminal being thrown to a lion. He was given a small sword yet no armor, and if he was able to defeat the beast, he was granted his life. An alternative opening was to tie a criminal to a pillar and slowly lower him into a pit of starving and ravenous beasts, a great way to get the spectators hungry for more blood and violence. After these events, the animals were lead out to the arena where they were pitted against each other, most commonly a lion against a bear. Next came a break in which a battle between a fully armed gladiator versus an unarmed man took place, the object simply to kill your opponent as brutally as possible.
In the afternoon, the real gladiatorial events began. First came the bloodless paegniarii battles, followed by one of the most civil fights, the hand to hand combatants. There were also battles in which a gladiator would be outnumbered by unarmed assailants, yet usually the trained and equipped gladiators prevailed. These along with fights between groups of gladiators were among the most popular attractions at a gladiatorial festival.
If a gladiator were to fall, his fate was most likely in the hands of the spectators. The heralds raised their trumpets and spectators shouted, “Habet, hoc habet”, or “Got him! He’s had it!” If able to, the fallen fighter would raise a finger on the left hand, signifying his beg for mercy. If the crowd gave the thumbs up, his life was spared. If not, he was murdered without hesitation. The bodies were carried out of the arenas by Charons, men dressed to resemble Mercury, the Etruscan reaper of souls.
If a fighter were to have given an unsatisfactory display, or if a criminal’s survival was undesired by the crowd, his life would be risked again and he was thrown back into the fray however if a win was felt to have been deserved by the crowd, the combatant was either given a wooden sword of a palm branch signifying their freedom from the games. Prizes such as money, women, and land were also provided by the host of the event.