Gladiators and beast hunts : arena Sports od ancient Rome / Christopher Epplett.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Epplett, Christopher, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Gladiators--Rome.

Gladiators.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (217 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

South Yorkshire, England : Pen and Sword Military, 2016.

Summary:

Gladiators and Beasthunts is a comprehensive survey of arena sports in ancient Rome, focusing upon gladiatorial combat and the beast-hunts (venationes). Whilst numerous books have already been written on arena spectacles in ancient Rome, they generally neglect the venationes, despite the fact that the beast-hunts, in which men were pitted in mortal combat against various dangerous wild animals (including lions, tigers, elephants and rhinos), were almost as popular as gladiatorial spectacles and were staged over a longer period of time. Dr Christopher Epplett, gives a full and detailed treatment of both types of spectacle. The author starts by explaining the origins of these bloody combat sports in the late Roman Republic, before surveying the growth of these events during the first two centuries of the Empire, when emperors possessed the resources to stage arena spectacles on an unmatched scale. The details of the training, equipment and fighting styles used by different types of combatants are covered, as are the infrastructure of the arenas and behind-the-scenes organization that was essential to the successful staging of arena events. Particular attention will be paid to the means by which Roman spectacle organizers were able to procure the countless wild animals necessary for the staging of venationes throughout the Empire. This is a gladiator book with added bite and sure to be welcomed by scholars and general readers alike.

Contents:

Intro

Title

Copyright

Contents

List of Plates

Select Glossary

Introduction

Chapter 1 Origins of Roman Arena Sports

Chapter 2 Spectacles of the High Empire in Rome

Chapter 3 Munera Outside Rome

Chapter 4 Performer and Spectator in the Arena

Chapter 5 The Infrastructure of the Arena

Chapter 6 The Demise of the Roman Arena

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Plate section.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed February 17, 2017).

ISBN:

9781473890398

147389039X

9781473890381

1473890381

9781473890374

1473890373