Rome's Ludus Magnus


















The Ludus Magnus was the largest gladiatorial training school in Rome. It was built during the reign of Domitian (81-96 AD) in the valley between the Esquilino and the Celio, an area already occupied by Republican and Augustan structures. I visited the ruins a few months ago during a nightly walk, but did not make any proper pictures of it. Only the above model is among my collection, taken in the 'Museo della Civitata Romana'. A horrible place, with only fake objects.

Next to the Ludus Magnus, three other gladiatorial training schools were located in Rome. The Ludus Mututinus was specialised in training with wild animals. The schools were supervised by Imperial procuratores. The procuratorship of the Ludus Magnus was very lucrative.

A nice Youtube filmpje shows some impressions of gladiator fights. Play the music loud!

Reacties

Een reactie posten

Populaire posts van deze blog

Polydus, champion charioteer for the reds

Afbeelding
Last week, I visited Landesmuseum Trier for the third time, which probably sounds boring but its collection is of great quality. The museum was renovated a few years ago, so a good excuse to visit it again. In my previous blog post I already wrote that the circus of Colonia Augusta Treverorum dates back to the earliest period of the cities history. The race track may have been created immediately after the city was founded. Quite some interesting finds, referring to the circus are in Landesmuseum Trier on display, including this mosaic of Polydus, a popular charioteer for the red faction (factio russata), and his lead horse Compressor. He is taking a victory lap. My picture is the centerpiece of a mosaic floor from a villa in front of the Imperial Baths in Trier. The representations on Roman mosaics of the victorious charioteer of the circus may be compared with similar representations in other forms of Roman art, both major and minor. Certain standard types were established and 
Meer lezen

Papposilenos of the band of satyrs

Afbeelding
Until recently, I didn't have much documentation about Roman or Greek Theaters or actual plays. Probably, I was inattentive, but in Berlin I found two great volumes. 'The Art of Ancient Greek Theater' by Mary Louise Hart, associate curator in the Dept. of Antiquities at the Getty Museum and a German copy of 'Teatri Greci e Romani' or 'Antike Theater' , by Umberto Pappalardo. I was happy to find more information of the statue of an actor disguised as Papposilenos, the oldest member of the band of satyrs who raised Dionysos. I saw the statue last year in the Palazzo Massimo all Terme in Rome.  The Papposilenos served as the chorus leader in the satyr play because in a sense he was the least vulgar. To some extend, Hart explained, he mitigated the obscenity and crudity of the other players as he paraphrased the heroic themes proper to tragedy. The Roman statue dates from  the 2nd century AD and was found in 1957 on the beach of Torre Astura, near a Roman vil
Meer lezen

Theater of Gytheio

Afbeelding
Although Gythio or Gytheio wasn't on my wish list, today it was nevertheless more than worthwhile the visit. Gythium was the seaport of ancient Sparta, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) north. The city used to be an important port until it was destroyed in 4th century AD, possibly by an earthquake. Also in Roman times Gythium remained a major port and it prospered as a member of the Union. As purple dye was popular in Rome, Gythium exported that as well as porphyry and rose antique marble. Evidence of the ancient Gythium prosperity can be found by the fact that the Romans built this small theatre against a hillside. Although only 8 rows in 4 cunei survived. This is also were the 'thymelic' performances used to take place. The thymelic was a song contest dedicated to Dionisos, which included a parade and a sacrifice to the Roman emperors. Today, although the site is abondoned, there are some cultural events taking place in this theatre every summer, as part of th
Meer lezen