The mob was now uncontrollable.  Women stood up in the stands drumming with their fists on the backs of people in the seats before them and screaming hysterically: "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Background and Status

  Weaponry and Armor

Entertainment is common in prosperous nations, and Rome was certainly a prosperous nation.  As a result, there were many forms of entertainment for the people to enjoy.  Gladiator fights were very popular as a  leisure activity.  In fact, they were intensively advertised.  This is the first example of the fights as a performance.  Descriptions of upcoming contests were written on walls and grave-stones beside main roads. 

The start of the games usually began with the most popular gladiator entering the arena on a chariot.  When the combatants arrived before the emperor's platform, they extended their right hands towards him and cried, "Hail, emperor, greetings from men about to die!"  The shows started with a dramatic sense of climax and mock-fighters warmed up the crowds.  The first fight with sharp weapons were announced by trumpets which continued to accompany the fighting throughout the show.  The performance of the gladiators began.  Fighting to the death is dramatic enough, but these fighters added an acting quality to the shows.  By fighting viciously and fiercely the gladiators performed for the crowds.  They were not allowed to groan in pain, or show any type of suffering at all.  The crowd wanted fighters who would die while exchanging blows instead of someone who cowers in the background until someone runs him through.  

The audience were just as involved in the performance as the gladiators were.  Shouting, jeering, and cajoling were common acts among the audience members.  All day the crowds cried phrases like, "Kill him, whip him, burn him!  Why does he strike so feebly?  Why is he so squeamish about dying?"  If the show ever stopped for an interval the audience would cry out for it to resume quickly.  The audience was ruthless and blood-thirsty.  Their cries and shouts added to the performance of the gladiators and brought about a sense of urgency to the shows.  Even though they were spectators, the audience added a new dimension to the overall performance.

Return to Performance of Gladiators in Ancient Roman Times

Amanda Jo Chesshir, Department of Communication Studies.
Copyright © 2001 by University of North Texas. All rights reserved.
Revised: 30 Nov 2005 14:23:00 -0600