HISTORY 4130 6.0 The Inauguration of the Flavian Amphitheater, AD 80

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HISTORY 4130 6.0The Inauguration of the Flavian
Amphitheater, AD 80

• Genevieve Durigon

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Selected Bibliography

• Martialis de spectaculus liber. Shakelton
  Bailey, trans ed (1993) Epigrams Volume I
  (Harvard Unviersity Press) pp 12-39.
• Cassius Dio Cocceianus LXVI. E Cay H Foster,
  trans (1925) Roman History Volume III Books
  61-70 (Harvard University Press) pp 311-313.
• Suetonius Titus
• Kathleen Coleman (1997) The contagion of the
  throng absorbing violence in the Roman world.
  Eur Rev 5 401-417.
• Alison Futrell (1997) Blood in the arena (Austin,
  Texas University of Texas Press).
• CIL, vol XIV, no 3,014 (Dessau no 6,252)
• N Lewis M Reinhold (2000) Roman Civilizations
  Volume II 3rd Ed. (New York Columbia University
  Press) p 274.
• William J Slater, ed. (1997) Roman theatre and
  society. (Ann Arbor, Michigan University of
  Michigan Press) pp 68-112.
• Chapter by J Edmondson

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Brief History of the Amphitheater

• Concept of Amphitheater
• Curio, 53 BC
• Wooden amphitheaters built shortly thereafter
• First stone amphitheater in Rome
• Built by Statilius Taurus, 29 BC.
• Provided venue for Roman Spectacle
• Previously held in temporary structures in open
  field or in the Forum

http//int.tourisme.ville-arles.fr/UK/a2/a2a1.htm
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amphitheatrum Caesareum
Vespasian
Domitian
Titus
http//www.accla.org/images/vespasian.jpg
http//www.accla.org/actaaccla/domitian.html
AD 85
AD 75
http//www.accla.org/actaaccla/titus.html
AD 80

• Completed in 10 years

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The Flavian Amphitheater
http//www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/
http//depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/gladiat
r/colcoin.htm
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The Flavian Amphitheater
http//www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/
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The Flavian Amphitheater
http//www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/
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The Flavian Amphitheater
http//subject.jccssyl.edu.hk/subjects/history/sub
html/library/images/Rome/COLOSSEUM.jpg
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The Flavian Amphitheater

• Enormous capacity
• 40-60,000
• people
• Architectural model for all other amphitheaters
• Symbol of Roman culture

http//www.gardkarlsen.com/rome/colosseum_from_Via
_dei_fori_imperiali.jpg
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The Inauguration of the Colosseum

• Cassius Dio Cocceianus (Book LXVI), Suetonius
  (Titus, 7) Martialis (de spectaculis liber)
• 100-day festival
• Naval battles (artificial lake)
• Infantry battles
• Gladiatorial Shows (munera)
• Wild beast hunts (venationes)

Marcus Valerius Martialis AD 43-117
http//www.hermetic.com/sabazius/martial.htm
http//www.roman-empire.net/articles/pics/gladiato
rs-colosseum/StoraxRelief.jpg
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Function of the Amphitheater

• Venue for Roman Spectacle
• Particularly bloodsport
• munera
• (gladitorial
• shows)
• venationes
• (wild beast
• hunts)

http//www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_images/bestiar
ii.jpg
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Symbolism of Bloodsport
http//www.nashfordpublishing.co.uk/archaeology/im
ages/bignor_gladiators.jpg

• Origins
• Mythic Religious Associations
• virtus (Coleman 1997, Futrell 1997, Edmondson
  1997)

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Spectacle Social Relations

• Promotes social unity
• Spectators vs. participants (Futrell, 1997
  Edmondson, 1997)
• Crime Punishment
• Reinforces Social Demarcations (Edmondson, 1997)
• Vertical
• Horizontal

http//www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rgls/ho_81.10.245
.htm
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Political Propaganda

• Provide entertainment
• Reassure the masses
• Reenact historical events and/or recent battles
• Social identity
• Self-validating
• Distraction from bad government

http//www.indiana.edu/c494troy/Empire/tomb_gladi
ator_frieze.jpg
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Gift Giving Reciprocity for the Politically
Ambitious

• Gauge/sway public opinion (Coleman, 1997
  Edmondson, 1997)
• Give gift of entertainment to the masses and gain
  favour
• Place in social order is maintained or elevated
• Or is it?

http//www.fotosearch.com/thumb/ICL/ICL154/BIM_092
.jpg
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Thoughts to the ContraryPotential Theme of Essay

• Bloodsport became an industry integral to the
  Roman bureaucracy
• Spectacle became part of tradition
• Effectiveness as a political tool is questionable
• Amphitheater as arena for social politics
• Over-stated

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The End

• Any comments? Thoughts? Concerns? Questions?