Gladiator

Ben Hur and Gladiator both portray Rome as a vast, ever expansing Empire. However, each film’s Christian story tendencies pulls the depiction of Rome into slightly different lights. Ben-Hur is clearly an explicit Christian tale with a legitimate portrayal of Christ (although he appears infrequently) and uses obvious Christian symbols and concepts.

The story is told through the eyes of an outsider, a Jewish prince in a territory overcome by Roman invasion, who gradually assimilates to Christianity after Rome failed him and Jesus saved his family from leprosy. The narrative structure, and the title of the book the film was based on, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, are about as Christian as literature/film can get without explicitly quoting the bible. I believe the explicit Christian tale taints the audience’s view of Rome, after all (historically) the Romans persecuted early Christians.

Romans are an assimilated force that are good to their own and extremely harsh towards ‘others’. In early days, Christianity was composed largely of ‘others’ who did not wish to join the polytheistic Roman religion for a variety of reasons. This historical context presses on the narrative and is perhaps why the Romans are portrayed so negatively.

Gladiator doesn’t contain any of the explicit religious imagery present in Ben-Hur, however it is still arguably an implicit Christian tale. In this story, the protagonist is not such an extreme outsider as in Ben-Hur, but Maximus is still a Spaniard. This creates distance between other senior officers and Maximus and is what ultimately allows him to be our story’s hero.

The Roman Empire is still portrayed as flawed, at least from a modern perspective, but it is not as harsh a portrayal as in Ben-Hur. Maximus gives the ultimate sacrifice for the people and is declared “a solder of Rome” which arguably lightens the audience’s opinions on Rome. Marcus wanted Maximus to rule instead of his son because he believed that Commodus was not fit for the role since, he was corrupted by politics, which is evident throughout the film.

Maximus was advanced in sword fighting which helped with the fights they had to do. As we saw in one scene, when Maximus won the sword fight, Commodus asked who was behind the mask and once he said it was him. Commodus was surprised. Commodus didn’t kill him because the crowd was having Maximus’s back. This showed that Maximus was not fighting for money or wealth but for the people of Rome and himself. As Marcus said Maximus was a leader and protector.

At the end Maximus killed Commodus which is what everyone in Rome including the rulers wanted. The ending gave Rome the peace and freedom it needed, so that it could thrive and become a better place. Maximus also ended up dying but he found peace and reunited with his family in heaven. The Roman Empire was treated more as a faith than a governing body, and both Messala and Commodus had power trips over ruling Judea and Rome.

Each character had their own hubris; Commodus killed his father in exchange for the throne, and Messala threatened then severed his relationship with his childhood friend for power. This power-hungry trait is shared between both characters, and it seems to be their downfall. Perhaps the power that Messala thought he possessed overweighed that of God, hence why he would mock the Jewish who believed in a God and an afterlife.

Hence why I lean towards the perspective that the Roman Empire was more than the governing body at that time, it was more like a faith or religion, and those who did not follow were punished. Messala took matters into his own hands, like he was playing God and determined the fate of Miriam and Tirzah after accidentally injuring Gratus. He imprisoned the women until they are plagued with leprosy, all because he wanted to use them as an example to demonstrate his power.

Messala threatens Judah that if he reveals that Messala knows the truth behind this accident and tries to kill him, he would force Judah to witness his mother and sister’s crucifixion. It seems that a trend is occurring, with Messala’s threats and only his interests in mind, and the Romans are represented by this selfish antagonist.

In my opinion, the purpose of the crucifixion scene was likely to run parallels between the Christianity in the variation of the story of Jesus as Ben-Hur, and it would make sense because most Americans in the 50’s was Protestant. The lower-class citizens were all seated closer to the arena, as the risk of getting sprayed with blood was a common thing. Also, I found that Gladiator showed a good amount of realism in terms of how violent the games could be.

However, they were even more gruesome than what was depicted in the films. You can see online that some of the weapons and tools used did insane amounts of damage. Romans were masters of torture and weaponry and were highly advanced for their time period Gladiator highlights Rome through the Emperor who wants the best for his state and chooses Maximus as his successor over his son.

Maximus, a martyr for the Roman empire in ways, dedicates his life to avenging the deaths of his loved ones and restores the Roman Dream, as the Emperor wanted. Even the undefeated gladiator lost to Maximus. Though the Romans were depicted as powerful and victorious, when they choose to be, the Romans can be merciful. Maximus frees the gladiator instead of killing them and is deemed “Maximus the Merciful.” They are undefeated, powerful, and heroic.

Maximus does not seem to support these bloody battles though; he and the late Emperor shared similar thoughts in that Marcus had these fights banned. Whereas Ben-Hur depicts Romans as controlling and governing state and empire that made inhabitants assimilate to their lifestyle and beliefs, like when Messala chooses his empire and controlling the rebellion of Judea over his friendship with Judah. He declared war with his childhood friend after Judah hesitates to reveal strong Jewish figures behind the rebellion, as Messala demanded Judah to essentially betray his own people.

Messala both commits this selfish and unsympathetic act to a childhood friend he just connected with through beautiful memories of their childhood, which highlights how unkind the Romans are and their “means to an end” attitude. Even Commodus from Gladiator had a power trip, he too thinks he can have whatever he wants, even if it means killing his father, Maximus’ wife, and son to get what he wants. Such a crazy time period to live in. In conclusion, this film had always emphasized the repetition of a theme while rendering individual heroism, that is, Freedom. The person who truly gave freedom is not someone else but lies in ourselves.

The films which entitled as Ben Hur and Gladiator portray Rome as a state and empire. The portrayal of the Roman characters and Rome itself being in a negative or positive light depends on a few different things. Personally, I believe that both films portray Rome and Romans in a neutral light. Where the positive light comes into play regarding their attitudes of perseverance and always following their morals, values and beliefs; they both work hand in hand through.

This can be examined with the disagreement earlier on in the Ben Hur film between Judah who believes in freedom and Messala who believes in power. This disagreement caused the two who were once very close friends to become like enemies. This disagreement also causes the hostility from Messala in the horse race to ensure that he wins against Judah. That is where the negatives come into play because their beliefs push them to hatred and ensuring perseverance in the demise of the individual(s) that they hate.

This can also be found in Gladiator with how Maximus deals with other characters such as Commodus in the film as well. Maximus can be viewed as a figure whose beliefs and values stand between both Judah and Messala because he has qualities of the both characters. Judah can be viewed as the figure of positivity among the Romans, while Messala can be viewed as the figure of negativity. He imprisoned the women until they are plagued with leprosy, all because he wanted to use them as an example to demonstrate his power.

Messala threatens Judah that if he reveals that Messala knows the truth behind this accident and tries to kill him, he would force Judah to witness his mother and sister’s crucifixion. It seems that a trend is occurring, with Messala’s threats and only his interests in mind, and the Romans are represented by this selfish antagonist. The lower-class citizens were all seated closer to the arena, as the risk of getting sprayed with blood was a common thing.

Also, I found that Gladiator showed a good amount of realism in how violent the games could be. However, they were even more gruesome than what was depicted on these films. Romans were masters of torture and weaponry and were highly advanced for their time Gladiator highlights Rome through the Emperor who wants the best for his state and chooses Maximus as his successor over his son. Maximus, a martyr for the Roman Empire in ways, dedicates his life to avenging the deaths of his loved ones and restores the Roman Dream, as the Emperor wanted. Even the undefeated gladiator lost to Maximus.

Though the Romans were depicted as powerful and victorious, when they choose to be, the Romans can be merciful. They are undefeated, powerful, and heroic. Maximus does not seem to support these bloody battles though; he, and the late Emperor shared similar thoughts in that Marcus had these fights banned. Whereas Ben-Hur depicts Romans as controlling and governing state and empire that made inhabitants assimilate to their lifestyle and beliefs, like when Messala chooses his empire and controlling the rebellion of Judea over his friendship with Judah.

He declared war with his childhood friend after Judah hesitates to reveal strong Jewish figures behind the rebellion, as Messala demanded Judah to essentially betray his people. In conclusion, Ben Hur was viewed as most ruthless and injustice person than Gladiator. I believe Gladiator will build more on the corruption and instability of the Roman Empire, while Ben-Hur highlights the tension, jealousy, and injustice in Rome empire during struggle period.

Antony and Cleopatra is based upon a dualistic vision of experience, the world of Rome pitted against the world of Egypt. Rome is associated with military glory, honor, and moral duty and this is clearly depicted by the imagery used throughout the play. Through Cleopatra’s words in Act 1 Scene1, the audience gets some insight into the Roman way even before Shakespeare introduces it on stage. “If the scarce bearded Caesar have not sent his powerful mandate to you, ‘Do this, or this; Take in that kingdom and enfranchise that.

As she tries to predict the message form Rome, she creates an image of a powerful and commanding Caesar whose sole concern is to ensure the political superiority of the Triumvirate. Shakespeare uses the character of Caesar to represent Rome and therefore creates the idea of a politically-motivated nation. The news from the messenger in Act 1 Scene 2 also supports the political urgency of Rome as it creates images of war and conquest that is occurring back in Rome. He speaks of Fulvia coming into “the field” and the “conquering banner” of Labenius, who is an enemy of the Trimuvirate.

However, the battle of Actium which occurs after the separation of the Triumvirate is where imagery truly serves to illustrate the military urgency that is associated with Rome as images of ships, sails, swords and battle give the audience a greater understanding of the emphasis they place on war and the preservation of power. This is obvious in Caesar’s words as delivers commands for war; “Strike not by land; keep whole. Provoke not battle till we have done at sea.

Caesar’s words help to define the Roman vision of experience: militaristic and male, marked by heroic restraint in difficult circumstances, a willed ability to combat one’s deepest feelings, a sustained composure when everyone else is falling apart. Egypt, on the other hand, presents a stark contrast to the political world of the Romans. Egypt represents instinctive passion, extravagant love, fertility, and magnanimity. Just as Caesar represents Rome, Cleopatra’s character is used to represent Egypt as a whole. The extravagance of Egypt becomes immediately obvious as Cleopatra enters in Act 1 Scene 1.

She enters with a flourish of fanfare, a train of female servants and eunuchs fanning her which evokes an image of absolute comfort and relaxation. There is no hint of political concern as she and Antony profess their love to each other in extravagant words which highlight their instinctive passion. This is reflected in Antony’s response to Cleopatra’s question of the extent of his love; “Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. ” There are also various references to food and drink in Cleopatra’s words and these images serve to create a sense of pleasure which is associated with eating.

She refers to her ‘salad days’ as she speaks of her youth. She also requests “music and moody food” to quell her anxiety about Antony’s return to her. The atmosphere of pleasure in Egypt is emphasized by Antony in Act 1Scene 1 as he expresses his wishes to indulge in the gay abandon and revelry of Cleopatra’s kingdom; “There’s not a moment of our lives that should stretch without some pleasure now. ” Another important illustration of the contrast between Rome and Egypt is the imagery that depicts the change in Antony’s character.

Through the observations of other characters in the play, Shakespeare makes obvious the deterioration of Antony’s political prowess and power. The description of this decline usually consists of a juxtaposition of imagery of strength and fortitude with that of weakness and submission. The strength of character is associated with the Antony in Rome who held his political duties in high regard. He deteriorates into a “doting mallard” of Cleopatra in Egypt where it appears that the atmosphere of abandon and relaxation has cast a spell over him, making him forget his duties as one of the most powerful men in the world.

He is described as “The triple pillar of the world transformed into a strumpet’s fool. ” This creates the image of deterioration for one who held great power. The imagery of strength versus weakness used in Scarus’ speech in Act 1 Scene 1 also portrays the decline in Antony; “His captain’s heart which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst the buckles on his breast, reneges all temper and becomes the bellows and the fan to cool a gypsy’s lust. ” The strength of Antony’s character before his indulgence in the pleasure of the East is enforced by the imagery used in Caesar’s tribute to Antony in Act 1 Scene 4.

He describes Antony with images of strength and resilience’ “at thy heel did famine follow, whom thou fought against,” “thou didst drink the stale of horses The contrast between Rome and Egypt also highlights the underlying themes of masculine order versus feminine order as well as the role of the woman . In Rome the masculine ethos which, while having room to honour women in certain limited ways, has little place for them in public life, other than as useful political tools or upholders of very masculine ideals or as producers of soldiers.

There is little respect for them as is obvious in the imagery used by various Romans to describe Cleopatra. She is described as a lustful gypsy which is an image used to degrade her character. When Octavius thinks of how his sister should enter Rome in a manner fitting her importance, the only images he can reach for which might express his feelings are ones taken from the vocabulary of military triumphs: “The wife of Antony should have an army for an usher. ” It is significant that he can convey his high esteem and strong feelings for her only in images more appropriate to a returning triumphant general.

On the other hand, the woman holds a role of utmost importance in Egypt. Cleopatra’s position as queen is the primary image of this. Enobarbus’ tribute to her also creates an image of her infinite power and freedom as a woman. something entirely at odds with the Roman emphasis on predictable order, law, and consistency. “Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety. ” In Cleopatra’s palace, women talk openly about explicit sexuality. They are attended by men and this creates an image of female superiority. They express their sexual feelings, joke about sexual matters, and establish a close female community.

The image of the horse in relation to Antony and Cleopatra’s sexual encounters is one of few images that used to express sexuality. This highlights the ability of the woman to be open and expressive as opposed to that of Rome who is expected to be reserved and serve their men. Another major theme of the play to which imagery gives great insight is that of the love between Antony and Cleopatra. They profess their love for each other in an exaggerated style, using images of vastness to describe the extent of their feelings.

In Act 1 Scene 1 when Cleopatra claims that she will set a limit (bourn) on Antony’s love, he responds “Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. ” This trend continues throughout the play. Even in death their love is made evident by the imagery used in their speech. Cleopatra’s motivation for suicide is her reunion with Antony in death; “I am again for Cyndus, to meet Marc Antony. ” This creates the image of their first meeting and emphasizes the immortality of their love as she wishes to recreate that moment in the afterlife. Cleopatra herself finalizes this as she says “I have

Immortal longings in me. ” Another main focus of the play is politics and the desire for power. This gives rise to ‘worldliness’ of the play as the Romans seek to preserve and expand their empire. The political strategies never remain confined to Rome and there is frequent mention of the capture of neighbouring countries The imagery used reinforces the sense of grandeur and the huge scope of the drama.. It is seen from Act 1 Scene 2 when the messenger form Rome describes Labenius conquering lands from Asia, Euphrates, Syria, Lydia and Ionia.

There are also frequent images of the sea and the earth in relation to politics which give a sense of vastness and help to highlight the importance of politics and world conquest. This is illustrated by Cleopatra as she describes war as “the world’s great snare. ” Some of the political imagery used to describe Antony also helps to reinforce the huge scope of the drama. He is called “the greatest prince of the world,” “the demi- Atlas of the world,” and “the crown o’th’earth. ” He is not only a strong leader in Rome but a “triple pillar of the world” as Rome’s empire extends all over the globe.

In examining the imagery of love and politics in Antony and Cleopatra, the underlying theme of war versus love cannot be ignored. This is made evident in the imagery in Antony’s words as he struggles to find a balance between upholding his political duty and indulging in passion with Cleopatra. A prime example of this is when Antony is about to leave for war in Act 4 Scene 4. As Cleopatra tries to lace his armour he calls her “the armourer of my heart. ” The image of armour gives a sense of impending war but Antony uses it to convey that Cleopatra has captured his heart.

This contrasting imagery occurs several other times in the play, even in the same scene when he gives her a “soldier’s kiss. ” The juxtaposition of war and love illustrates Antony’s conflict of choice between love and duty. It also helps to illustrate how he downplays the importance of war and politics in the face of love. Antony himself acknowledges this as he admits that he lost to Caesar at sea because he trusted Cleopatra’s fleet to help him win the battle; “My sword made weak by my affection. “

1st and 2nd Peter The Christians around the time I Peter was written were undergoing some intense persecution. Socially they were shunned, abused, insulted and ridiculed, and Peter realized that the circumstances were getting worse. Nero was Emperor of Rome during the time I Peter was written. He oversaw the persecutions of Christians. Peter wrote this letter to offer encouragement to Christians suffering this persecution. (I Peter 2:18-20) As a result the church in Jerusalem was being scattered throughout Asia Minor.

Some of the ways Christians were being persecution during Nero’s time were, being nailed to crosses or sewn up in the skins of wild beasts and left in the sun to die a horrible and painful death. They were used as torches to illumine Nero’s parties. Through this time it was Peter who reminded them that Jesus has set an example for everyone and that although there is much suffering on Earth, they are promised an imperishable inheritance in heaven. It states in I Peter 2:21-23 that “this suffering is all part of what God has called to you. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example.

Follow in his steps. He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. ” That is what the letter rejoices. Although the Christians wanted so bad to get even with Emperor Nero and his people, they stayed humble, and pulled through their suffering (I Peter 3:9). The author calls Christians to be holy as God is holy, for they are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s chosen people.

In the Bible it does state that as a Christian you have decided to not go back to the evil desires such as immorality and lust, feasting and drinking and wild parties and worshipping other idols, but you will be anxious to do the will of God (I Peter 4:2-3). The Bible says that there will be people who are surprised that you don’t participate in their wicked ways and they will say evil things about you and torture you (I Peter 4:4-5). This is much like the Christians during the time of Nero.

Nero didn’t understand why Christians didn’t believe and worshiped like his people did, therefore he completely rejected their ideas and put them through a lot of torment. One reason for their persecution was their life-style as aliens and foreigners in the heathen culture. Peter wanted Christians to know that, yes, we as Christians are aliens and foreigners not only to Rome but also to this world. We are only visitors here, and in our short time we have here we must live and glorify God in everyway possible (I Peter 1:17 & 1Peter2:11).

Nero is described to be fair- haired, with weak blue eyes, a rather large neck, and a potbelly. He came off to have a very strange mixture of absurdity. Nero was artistic, weak, sensual, bi-sexual, aggressive, extravagant, and later in life rather disturbed. Early on in his ruling, Nero came across as very a civilized person. He gave the senate more freedom and considered ending the murder of criminals and gladiators in the arenas, he made city wide reforms and was very upset that the law required him to put 300 slaves to death over the fact that their master, a powerful senator, was poisoned by them.

Many historians report that he was very reluctant to do it. Later on in his ruling he became absolutely obsessed with the arts, recreation, and sexual desires. He had many affairs and began to go about his evil ways once his mother began spreading rumors. The main reason Nero persecuted the Christians was because of something that happened during the burning of his city. It was around 64 A. D. when the Great Fire of Rome took place. Rome had 14 different districts and only 4 of them remained untouched.

The fire burned for a total of 6 days and 6 nights. At that time, people started a lot of rumors about Nero, saying that he “fiddled while Rome burned” and this rumor spread throughout Rome, creating other rumors. People believed that Nero was the one who started the fire so that he could totally wipe out Rome and start a new city named after him in its place, also that he could build a better palace. Nero didn’t like the fact that people were spreading rumors about him so he decided he needed a scapegoat to blame the fire on.

He chose the Christians. Nero’s attempt to use them to take all of the blame off of him failed. Everyone turned against him after this tragic event and the senate decided that he should be flogged to death. But instead of going through this humiliation, he made the decision to commit suicide. He died in 68 A. D. and during his 14 years he managed to establish a bloody reign of terror and to the world he will always be remembered as an insane tyrant. The culture around the time of Nero was rather interesting.

Much of the furniture they used was couches, not too many chairs, and they almost always reclined even at the dinner table. The most popular room was the lavatory were there were rows of toilets with arm rests were people would sit and talk for an hour or more. Baths were equivalent to that of a modern day athletic club. There were several rooms including the sweat room and the warm room where sweat was scraped off by slaves because soap was unknown.

Foot races, boxing, and wrestling were minor sports in this era but chariot racing and gladiator contests where the most amusing to watch. These events tie in to the persecution theme of I Peter. When Emperor Nero decided to blame the Christians for the burning, he threw them in to the arena and made them face gladiators and wild animals, killing them. Peter says that we should expect ridicule, rejection and suffering and that persecution makes us stronger because it refines our faith (I Peter 2:21-25).

Nero completely rejected the idea of family. After his stepfather adopted him, he was engaged to his stepsister Octavia, and after awhile he became involved with a woman named Acte. As he became even more lustful, he began having an affair with another woman and his mother got enraged and sided with Octavia. He then attempted to kill his mother, more than once it was said. He tried poisoning her 3 times, he also tried to murder her by loosening her ceiling on a boat and almost drowning her but she managed to escape.

After his failing attempts, he then hired an assassin who clubbed and stabbed her to her death in 59 A. D. Peter truly encouraged the idea of family life in the fact that he urged all family members to treat other with sympathy, love, tenderness and humility (I Peter Chapter 3). Finally, the theme that is found mostly in II Peter is the false teachings. One of the reasons that Nero persecuted almost all the Christians was that fact that they didn’t conform to the heathen culture that he encouraged during his reign.

Heathen culture emphasize the importance of relationships with gods and goddesses, ancestors, spirits of the land, and other’s in the community. Since the Christians living in Rome at the time believed in the one true God they were mocked and tortured, but in no way did they give into the false teachings that were in their surroundings ( II Peter chapter 2) Works Cited Nosotro, Rit. “Nero. ” 13. 05. 2007. 13. 05. 07 . Christian, Imanual. “bible. org. ” I Peter: how should we live in a Pagan Culture. 13 May 2007 .

It was an art of shaping space around ritual, it sought identity and fulfillment in the performance and creation, it was their way of reducing chaos, it was used to show their newly developed building skills, it was to “romanize” their country and set it apart from others. What was the reasoning for making such extraordinary structures? From the beginning of the use of “the arch” to the construction of huge public places such as the Roman arena. There’s a reason why thousands of people visit these places every year, something so amazing that keep’s our attention.

It’s the beauty, or the concept of building these, or maybe the idea of designing such complex structures. The detail is tremendously in depth also, they truly cared about what they were doing. We here the quote said by John Heywood when being lectured about hard work, “Rome was not built in a day. ”7 And it’s so very true. We today are amazed in how and why they would do it. The effects on today are tremendous. If you were to look down your street you would see so many uses of Roman Architecture. Columns? So simple but still so elegant. Domes? Such an amazing architectural design. Arches?

Gave a whole new meaning to an open-looking building. Before Roman style came we had other styles including; Prehistoric which did not inspire much besides stone circles and Ancient Egypt which gave us the beautiful pyramids. Besides that, the Romans were the first to really break through. Which is what they wanted, wanting to be known by all. Roman Architecture effected the future’s idea on structure, design and the ability to obtain power by it’s beauty, it’s structure, and it’s uses. So what was the reasoning of making these structures? To show all the power they had, to show what they could do themselves.

The English author Goethe once said, “Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men. ”2 Proving that they were the ones that were smart enough to come up with this. Not only did they make them to show everyone, they used them. They were used daily and stayed intact. They’re still intact today! 4 So many designs that helped the future come up with more and more complex ideas. Producing such massive, creative, and beautiful designs made people come and sit in ah. The year is 2009 and guess who is still coming and sitting in ah, we are.

The poet Friedrich von Schelling once said, “Architecture in general is rozen music. ”1 And music in general is a beautiful thing. Beauty is a big factor in attracting attention. If something is that beautiful, people will take the effort to take a double look. Romans took this into account and used it to their advantage. Take the Pantheon for example, simply amazing. It’s thought by many to be almost perfect in interior design. The light pours through the aperture in the coffered dome, and creates a mystical atmosphere in the windowless building. From afar you see the massive dome, the octastyle porch and a rectangular feature connecting the two.

There are also eight granite columns, six of them being original. 4 The two replacement columns were made of a reddish granite, almost identical. The inside is what is really amazing, you first walk up to the porch which is made of all marble and granite. The two stones were arranged in a pattern of circles and rectangles. You then enter the “entranceway” where you see that it is framed by pilasters of white marble. To get into the rotunda you enter through huge doors made of bronze that are connected by wooden planks, attached again by bronze nails.

When first stepping into the rotunda your eye goes directly to “the eye”. “The eye”, or the all-powerful eye, is a round piece of glass on the direct top of the dome. It gives off a fair amount of light and in the Roman’s perspective, keeps an eye on all visitors. 7 Thomas Fuller a British author once said “Light, God’s eldest daughter, is a principal beauty in a building. ”2 The Rotunda also has an unbelievable amount of statues, columns, and detailed stoned etchings. The ground their is also arranged with alternating circles and squares of colored marbles and granites.

What’s amazing is the craftsmanship that was put into every piece of art the Roman’s produced, and the time it took to make them. William Sutton once said, “Success in any endeavor requires single-minded attention to detail and total concentration. ”9 Like the Colosseum’s hundreds of beautiful arches and the detail involved in each square. Or the beautiful rounded look they created for their theaters. Or the amazing etchings in the Monumental Arch. And who could forget about the baths! The creative, soothing paintings and the marble lined utilities were enough to ease the mind.

Beauty, if used wisely, can lead to power. Power is what the Romans craved for and power is what was perceived from the outsider, they won. The structure of every building they ever erected was just amazing. Without their help the idea of theatre seating may not have even happened. The theatre has always meant so much throughout history, Oscar Wilde once said, “I regard the theatre as the greatest of all forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what is is to be a human being. ”3 Take the Theatre of Marcellus for example.

The theatre is 111 m. n diameter and could originally hold 11,000 spectators. 2 The theatre was built mainly of tuff and concrete faced with stones in the pattern known as opus reticulatum, then completely plastered in white travertine. 5 It also consisted of three levels supported by columns. Each level had a different architectural style: the first level had arches supported by columns in the Doric Order, the second featured arches with Ionic columns and the third one consisted of a wall with pilasters in the Corinthian Order. 8 Only parts of the first two levels are still visible today but their design withstood years and years of usage.

The Roman’s also used the idea of the arch and developed into the vault. The simplest kind of vault is a barrel vault, it’s generally semicircle in shape and has a continuous arch, the length being greater than its diameter. 4 Rings are placed in position one at a time while the timber supports are taken out. With a barrel vault, the temporary support is then shifted on to support the next rings. 6 You had to take so many steps to get the final structure. And did they know it was going to work? They’re the Roman’s, they can do anything. Maybe they took a few test trials though.

Two kids received identical play houses. One kid brought fake pots and little plastic food to play with. The other kid brought a toy gun and plastic tools to play with. Which kid would you assume has power of the other? The kid with the toy gun of course! The Roman’s not only had amazing, massive structures, they also used them to the max. The Roman’s are known for their spectacular public baths. The most famous being Diocletian and the Bath of Caracalla. 3 During this period of time many people did not care much about their hygiene. What they did was create elegant baths for the Roman public.

This was never before done, so those looking from the outside would think that pretty important people must live there. The Roman’s also had many temples and tombs to honor certain people. The temples and tombs always looked so exquisite too. So did that mean so many great and powerful people lived in Rome? That’s what they wanted you to think. Josh Billings a humor writer once said, “You pretty it up, they’ll believe anything you’ll say. ”9 The Colosseum is a great example of how the Roman’s used their masterpieces. The Colosseum was used to host gladiatorial shows as well as a variety of other events.

Another popular type of show was the animal hunt. This utilized a great variety of wild beasts, mainly imported from Africa and the Middle East and included creatures such as rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elephants, giraffes and ostriches. 1 Such events were occasionally on a huge scale; Some contests involving 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiators over the course of 123 days. 7 There are also accounts of a “sea battle”, described as being filled with water for a show of specially trained swimming horses and bulls. The way they did things in the Colosseum was very gruesome.

They occasionally used condemned people for “plays” where executions in which the hero of the story was killed in various gruesome but mythologically authentic ways, such as being mauled by beasts or burned to death. 6 The poet Anatole Broyard once said, “Rome was a poem pressed into service as a city. ”3 If the Colosseum singly would be a poem it’d be the gruesome, horrid type of poem. Bringing wild animals and having men try to kill them was just a game to watch. What is the rest of the world going to think about Rome when they here what they do for fun? I would be scared.

The Colosseum is the pride and joy of the Roman’s. It is the greatest work of Roman Architecture and Roman Engineering. It put together everything they worked for, everything they were good at. It’s the distinct building that everyone knows and remembers. Byron, a historian once said, “While stands the Colosseum, Rome shall stand; When falls the Colosseum, Rome shall fall; And when Rome falls, the world. ”2 Its beauty, design and usage made everyone believe the Roman’s had the power. The Colosseum is about 620×513 ft. in length and about 165 ft. in height. The internal arena was 287×180 ft.

It’s estimated that it could seat 45 to 50,000 spectators and on special occasions the numbers could be as high as 70,000! 4 The skeletal framework consisted of concentric piers and arches and was built of Travertine limestone, these rings were linked with walls. There were also four stories all together, all surrounded with a total of 80 arches. 2 The floor of the arena was made of wood and then covered with sand. Under the arena there was an 18 ft. high basement which stood on cement foundations some 18 ft. thick. The basement is an architectural masterpiece in itself, about as big as the arena itself too.

The rooms of the basement were specially constructed to support the show on the stage above but were used for a number of purposes such as keeping animals, medics, gladiators, general supplies and so on. It is known that there was an elevator type device to elevate animals and fighters into the arena from the floors underneath so that they could join in the action when it was their turn. 7 Besides the structural wonderment of the Colosseum, it held so much allure from all points of view. Matthew Arnold is quoted saying, “I gazed upon the scene with intense and mingled feeling.

The world could show nothing greater. “2 From the thoroughness of every individual arch to the hand crafted statues. There was a definite appeal in this building. Only the great and powerful can do great and powerful things. This is something the Romans believed, and heavily. Being able to build such grand and ravishing buildings proved that they could do great and powerful things. The late Spanish writer, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra once said, “When thou art at Rome, do as they do at Rome”. 2 Obviously Rome’s “scare factor” was known to many.

Some may think that Roman and Greek architecture are the same concept, but the Roman’s put so much more into their skill. The way they meshed together their artistic abilities and architectural abilities created such a great and powerful bond. Their unbelievable leaps in the architecture ladder should be remembered for a long time, it is very much deserved. Roman Architecture effected the future’s idea on structure, design and the ability to obtain power by it’s beauty, it’s structure, and it’s uses. They wanted to be know, they literally killed for it! The year is 2009 and we remember, congratulations Rome.

The life of a Gladiator could be compared to the life of a modern day professional athlete. Gladiators lived a lavish life much greater than the lower class of Ancient Rome. With food, medicine, and baths all at the tip of their fingers, they were to use all their energy and focus to fight against each other. These fighters were primarily used for inhumane entertainment. Many Gladiators were slaves, criminals, and some free men. Gladiators were first used for funeral ceremonies to reenact the dead one’s life. Gladiators were later used in entertaining the people.

They would fight wild beast such as lion, tigers, and elephants and even fight each other. Even though they were sure to be killed for the enjoyment of Ancient Roman citizens, Ancient Roman Gladiators lived a life of luxury. Ancient Gladiators lived a well-appointed lifestyle. For example they were given hot and cold baths constantly. The Ancient Roman citizens did not have this available to them. Disease was also abundant throughout Ancient Rome, but doctors to keep disease and infection to a minimum treated Gladiators daily.

Another example of benefits given to a Gladiator was women for their personal needs. Women were used by the Ancient Gladiators as slaves and for coitus. Gladiators who became successful were allowed to have their own home and even a family. The Gladiator trainers and sponsors treated their fighters as if they were their prized possessions. Gladiators were on a high protein diet and took place in a magnificent feast the night before a battle would take place. This felt promising to the trainers and sponsors in that their Gladiators would be physically prepared for the next day when they would be in battle.

All Gladiators were cared for substantially by their trainers and sponsors. Ancient Gladiators lived a lavish life where anything and everything was given to them in order to keep them in the perfect shape for combat. The Gladiators were sure of death but enjoyed the luxurious life as they could. Many Gladiators were slaves, criminals or members of captured of enemy armies, but a lot of Gladiators were freemen. Many retired military men became Gladiators so they could showcase their fighting abilities in the arena.

A lot of men who decided to become Gladiators joined for the wealth that came with it. Becoming a Gladiator was a good way for citizens to make money. Many men used this money to pay off debt or support their family. The living conditions of Gladiators were very good. The free men whom became Gladiators were free to do as they pleased and could keep any of the money thrown into the arena during a battle. Many of these men not only craved the wealth but also the fame that came with being a successful Gladiator. The most successful Gladiators became very popular with the Ancient Roman citizens.

These Gladiators were treated like royalty and were given much wealth and power by the Roman government. These Gladiators were only expected to fight 3-5 times a year and could do as they pleased in their off time. There were many reasons one would seek to become a Gladiator. The living conditions of a Gladiator were much better than the living condition of a lower class Roman citizen. Food and medical care were supplied to these men as well. They were on strict diets but did not have to pay for the food which a luxury in its self.

Doctors were always present to make sure the Gladiators were in top fighting condition. Men in top fighting condition would put on a better show for the Ancient Roman citizens and this would bring more money to the Gladiator and his Sponsor. Much fame came with being a successful Gladiator. These successful Gladiators were famous for their actions in the arena and this is what made them so popular. A successful Gladiator received better care and acquired more money and wealth in their career than many citizens did at this time.

Slaves, criminals, and prisoners of war were all forced to be Gladiators in the Ancient Roman Empire, but the wealth and glory of becoming a Gladiator appealed to many free men. The living conditions of an Ancient Gladiator were high above the living conditions of many Ancient Roman citizens. The upkeep of a Gladiator was extensive and were kept at top physical shape. Ancient Gladiators enjoyed the life of luxury and adored the fame and fortune, but being a Gladiator ultimately ended in a bloody death in front of all of Rome to see.