ipl-logo

Negotium: The Role Of Entertainment In Ancient Rome

444 Words2 Pages

Although life in ancient Rome circled around business, or negotium, there was plenty of time for entertainment. From swimming, board games, and theatre performances, athleticism and entertainment formed and enjoyed by Romans were not as different as those that are present today.

To begin with, what was the purpose for entertainment if ancient Rome was the center for negotium? The answer to this often asked question by historians was simply that the Roman government wanted the people entertained because they knew a large group of poor people was a threat to their empire. This also explained why most of the different forms of entertainment were very cheap and for the most part free.

Most of the entertainment in ancient Rome was used by Roman men and boys. Roman girls and women in general did not participate in sports and activities such as jumping, wrestling, boxing, racing, and throwing. If Roman men engaged in these sports, where did they …show more content…

Most of the gladiators were slaves and were given weapons to fight to the death. To add, animals were also in the arena while gladiators were battling to death. When gladiators fought, they were given defensive weapons such as: short swords, helmets, large square shields, bows and arrows, and armor. They fought in large colosseums where thousands of spectators watched them fight. Thanks to gladiator combat, we have been given a great view of how slaves were treated and sacrificed in ancient Rome.

Gladiators were just among some of the greatest forms of entertainment. Did you know that some of the most popular sports today have Roman origins? For example, soccer in Rome was called Harpastum, a possession based ball game where each side would attempt to retain possession of a small ball for as long as possible. Sports from boxing, field hockey, and wrestling are a huge part of our sport industry today, and we owe it all to the

Show More
Related

  • DBQ On Ancient Rome

    431 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ancient Rome DBQ Many people argue that the culture of the Ancient Romans reflect that of the United States today. While there have been many advancements over the course of the years, a few basic principles still apply and can be seen in the United States today. Although there a few key differences that can be seen between the two cultures, it is important that one focuses on similarities to see how the United States has developed as a whole. Roman culture was similar to what the United States is today by the form of government and types of entertainment.

    Read More

  • Cultural Achievements Of Rome Dbq

    279 Words  | 2 Pages

    Remarkable Rome Ancient Rome had many cultural achievements. Many achievements are very important and influential in American culture today. Some achievements are Roman Roads and Roman Architecture. Our road today are based off of Roman roads. Also our architecture is very similar to Roman architecture.

    Read More

  • How Did Spain Build The Roman Empire

    289 Words  | 2 Pages

    They also built amphitheaters that provided entertainment for the Romans at the time. They gave the world the best thing ever, they created a sewer system that help the people deal with their

    Read More

  • How Did The Use Of Wine In Ancient Greece

    501 Words  | 3 Pages

    WINE 6. How did the use of wine differ from that of beer in ancient Greece and Rome? In Rome and Greece, wine was a drink for the elite whereas drinking beer was seen as uncivilized. Beer was also used as a use of barter and a food source. There were formal wine parties such as symposions and convivium, but beer was a barbaric drink for the lower class.

    Read More

  • Strengths And Weaknesses Of A Roman Gladiator

    1737 Words  | 7 Pages

    I was fascinated to see what caused the Romans to take up this form of entertainment and why so many people chose to take place in these fights that could possibly take their life. I was surprised when I discovered that the gladiator games originated as ritual blood offerings, and without Augustus changing that, maybe we wouldn’t have combat sports

    Read More

  • Golden Age Research Paper

    668 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many aspects of our lives today have some sort of connection with Ancient Rome and Ancient

    Read More

  • Spectacle In Roman Culture Essay

    1283 Words  | 6 Pages

    The roles of the spectacles involved entertainment for the citizens of Rome, punishment to disobedient citizens or slaves, providing food, and allowing interaction between the people of Rome and their rulers. Citizens of Rome frequented the arenas to catch a glimpse of the famous gladiators who were cheered for either killing their fellow gladiators or beasts as a form of entertainment. The blood games were also used as an opportunity by the state to punish convicted criminals and slaves by feeding them to hungry beasts such as bear and lions. After the games, citizens of Rome would consume the meat of the deceased animals from the arena since some emperor would kill hundreds of animals in the arena. In addition, the spectacles in the arena brought together the citizens of roman ad their rulers, which was a perfect opportunity for the citizens to air their views or partake in riots until their demands were

    Read More

  • Slavery In Ancient Roman Slavery

    1487 Words  | 6 Pages

    These slaves were usually physically sound, but their conditions were harsh as well. In fact, Romans often feared gladiator revolts since these men were not only strong and talented, but given access to highly dangerous weapons. The most successful fighters would sometimes be granted

    Read More

  • How Did Ancient Greece Influence Ancient Rome

    1428 Words  | 6 Pages

    The training style of Spartan armies left a long lasting impact on Ancient Rome’s military troops. Sparta was a warrior state. Citizens had a program called Agoge that trained them into warriors. They were placed in this military training at seven years old and were expected to be strong when they reached maturity age. The Romans took on these training styles when they needed a strong army.

    Read More

  • Ancient Greek Influence On Modern Cinema

    669 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Greeks took a huge step into entertainment. This step is still felt today. The whole reason we have olympics is because of the Greeks. There is way more to this story. The Greek theatre plays a huge role in our modern theatre.

    Read More

  • Ientaculum: A Changing Lifestyles In Ancient Rome

    898 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Rome, much like in other areas of the world, there were specific times of day where people would dedicate themselves to eating. The times of day were similar to what is seen now in America, with a meal taking hold in the morning, midday, and evening. Though the meals evolved and changed as the empire itself did, one can look at the different meals and be able to make connections between them and those of today’s importance. Commonly in Rome the first acknowledgeable meal would be called ientaculum. It was not extraordinary and some citizens of the empire forwent it entirely.

    Read More

  • Roman Architecture Research Paper

    1639 Words  | 7 Pages

    One of the most well known achievements from the Roman Empire was their theaters and amphitheaters. The theaters were inspired by the Greeks, but the Romans adjusted the design and added additional decorations to their theaters. The amphitheater was a new idea with no architectural precedent from the Greeks. The Coliseum, the largest and most famous fully enclosed amphitheater, was just one example of this style of amphitheater.

    Read More

  • Ancient Olympic Events

    596 Words  | 3 Pages

    The champion of the Heraia were often “crowned with an olive branch” and the legend of this event tells that the girl often gained strength from Hera ("History of the Olympic Games”). On the other hand, the Olympic victor placed their hometown on the map (Crane “Ancient Olympic Events”). These Ancient Olympic events might seem outdated but in truth many of these events are still participated in today’s society. Olden day events included “...boxing, Chariot racing, riding, pankration [combination of boxing and wrestling], discus, javelin, jump, running, and wrestling...” (Crane “Ancient Olympic Events”).

    Read More

  • Circus Maximus: Fourth Roman Circus In Ancient Rome

    397 Words  | 2 Pages

    Circus originated in Ancient Rome, they displayed equestrian shows and staged gladiatorial battles. Circus of Rome was placed similar to the ancient Greek hippodromes and circus buildings were not round however it’s rectangular with semi circular ends. The first circus in Rome was the Circus Maximus. It was established during the monarchy and the circus was built from wood. Circus Maximus was renovated many times, the final version of Circus Maximus was built of stone and could accommodate 250,000 spectators.

    Read More

  • Essay On Roman Theatre

    1620 Words  | 7 Pages

    Greek and Roman theatre set the tone in writing and acting for the rest of history. It can not be said enough how underrated these buildings are when it comes to the advancement of society. Theatre has always been an art of expression and these two nations realized that early on. Creating these theatres has helped bring classic tales of tragedy and heroism to the eyes and ears of many individuals. The world will always be thankful to the Greeks for being the forefathers of the theatre.

    Read More

More about Negotium: The Role Of Entertainment In Ancient Rome

Open Document