LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
Looking for a place full of fun and excitement? Rome is the place for you! The Colosseum had finally finished building and the participants are in. Get ready to watch the bloody battles and contests. You’ll get to see many exotic beasts the Romans had provided for the games. There will be free food and refreshments, so come! Let the games begin!
THE PARTICIPANTS
In the bloody battles at the Colosseum, gladiators are forced against wild, exotic beasts in hunts or combat. Some gladiators fight with other gladiators. Many of the gladiators are professionals and some are even high-class citizens that chose this career just for the glamour. However, criminals are also submitted into the games as punishment. The beasts that they have to go against are massive wild animals such as bears, bulls, elephants, and buffaloes. More exotic creatures are crocodiles, pythons, and ostriches. The hunters that have to go against these wild creatures wear few protective clothing and only have some weapons such as a swords and shields. Some called retiarii, fight with a net and a three-pronged spear.
THE BLOODY GAMES
The games are the most popular entertainment of all time. The government provided the games and the Roman citizens love them. The noisily and violently they are, the better. The Romans are very enthusiastic about the games. As they games are starting, they would all scream and shout and stamp their feet. In the arena, the wild beasts roared from their cages. The games begin once the trap doors open and the beats charge out. Most of the battles ended with death of the gladiator, but not all. Sometimes the gladiator would beg the crowd for mercy. If the crowd liked him, they might beg the emperor to spare his life by giving a thumbs-up. However, if they didn’t like him and thought he deserved to die, they would give a thumbs-down. The Colosseum is a great place to go because it provides free food and free shows! The Romans are devoted fans and they would come so frequently to watch the games. They are addicted to them and its part of their everyday lives. It is the entertainment for them and also a way for the government to control the people and to keep them satisfied.
THE OPPOSING SIDE
Although the games are very popular among the common people, some authorities and officials dislike the games. The spread of Christianity into Rome are affecting the games. Christians don’t approve of the games because they think they are too cruel and inhuman. They considered the games to be a disgrace and a waste of money. Thinkers such as Seneca and Marcus Aurelius criticized the raucousness of the battles. Christianity pressured Roman authorities to end the bloody fights in the Colosseum. However, it is hard to compete with the popular entertainment of the amphitheater. The games in the Colosseum and Christian events often overlapped, drawing many people away from the church. The favorite part of the Games for the Roman people is all the blood and the ravage. The government couldn’t take that away from them. For now the games are still on, so hurry up and come see them!