05-23-2006, 08:40 PM
Quote:The reason the lack of literary evidence makes me wonder about this, is that often on TV documentaries much is made regarding the huge difference between modern moral sensibilities and ancient ones, and the idea that people lusted for blood in the arena is always used as a prime example of this difference. However, from my readings, I get a strong sense that Roman morals were much more like our own than is often claimed. They valued strength and justice, and despised cruelty for it's own sake. Even though they handed down swift and severe punishments, it was for the good of all, and not a matter of entertainment.
The Romans lived in a totally different environment than we do, death was more common, due to high mortality rates. Death punishments for capital offences were also quite common, still in the Medieval times people gathered around the gallows pole. The noxii condemned ad bestias or ad gladium were not Roman citizens but prisoners of war, foreigners or slaves. Romans who'd a capital offence were executed quickly by the sword or sent to exile outside the Imperium Romanum.
The cruelty shown against animals in the venationes were a sign that Rome conquered the world, and not just the people but also nature. Leftovers of the venationes are the corridas in Spain. I - with my 21st century morals - of course object strongly venationes and the displays of the noxii because there neither the animal nor the noxii didn't had any chance to survive while the gladiator in his fight could take his life in his own hand.
Quote:When two men go at it with metal swords and shields, someone is going to die.
Not necessarily as I'd explained above. There was a chance that even both combatants could survive.
Quote:If you replace those swords with wooden ones, survival is more likely but serious injuries and even death is still possible. I bet they used blunted weapons.
Wooden weapons and blunt weapons were used only in the prolusio where all gladiators entered the arena and showed their fighting skills. Then there were the paegniarii who did mock battles with wooden weapons and they would appear at intervals between the "slaughter" of the noxii and the appearance of the gladiators.
Quote: I think I have heard that when a gladiator won his freedom, he received a wooden sword. Was that a symbol that he would not have to use sharp ones anymore or perhaps the wooden sword was just a momento of his fighting days?
The rudis with an inscription was a symbol for the freed gladiator. He received it from the editor after his last fight. Of course it resembles the wooden excersise sword with which he trained during his career.[/i]
