The most obvious evidence of gladiators is of course the giant ruins Colosseum. But there were also lots of written accounts like:
"....It was plain butchery."
This is part of a written account from the roman philosopher Seneca. The full account was the following:
"The other day, I chanced to drop in at the midday games, expecting sport and wit and some relaxation to rest men's eyes from the sight of human blood. Just the opposite was the case. Any fighting before that was as nothing; all trifles were now put aside - it was plain butchery.
The men had nothing with which to protect themselves, for their whole bodies were open to the thrust, and every thrust told. The common people prefer this to matches on level terms or request performances. Of course they do. The blade is not parried by helmet or shield, and what use is skill or defense? All these merely postpone death.
In the morning men are thrown to bears or lions, at midday to those who were previously watching them. The crowd cries for the killers to be paired with those who will kill them, and reserves the victor for yet another death. This is the only release the gladiators have. The whole business needs fire and steel to urge men on to fight. There was no escape for them. The slayer was kept fighting until he could be slain.
'Kill him! Flog him! Burn him alive!' (the spectators roared) 'Why is he such a coward? Why won't he rush on the steel? Why does he fall so meekly? Why won't he die willingly? "
There is also evidence of someone who was dressed as a Roman god called Hades (god of death) and hit the people who had been killed with a hammer to make sure that they wee definitely dead. After they were proved to be dead, a slave q=would drag the dead body out of the arena (with a hook) through a gate called the Porta Libitinensis which was named after the goddess Libitina (a goddess of death). The evedence came from a picture of someone dressed as Hades standing over a body, with a slave holding a pole by his side:
"....It was plain butchery."
This is part of a written account from the roman philosopher Seneca. The full account was the following:
"The other day, I chanced to drop in at the midday games, expecting sport and wit and some relaxation to rest men's eyes from the sight of human blood. Just the opposite was the case. Any fighting before that was as nothing; all trifles were now put aside - it was plain butchery.
The men had nothing with which to protect themselves, for their whole bodies were open to the thrust, and every thrust told. The common people prefer this to matches on level terms or request performances. Of course they do. The blade is not parried by helmet or shield, and what use is skill or defense? All these merely postpone death.
In the morning men are thrown to bears or lions, at midday to those who were previously watching them. The crowd cries for the killers to be paired with those who will kill them, and reserves the victor for yet another death. This is the only release the gladiators have. The whole business needs fire and steel to urge men on to fight. There was no escape for them. The slayer was kept fighting until he could be slain.
'Kill him! Flog him! Burn him alive!' (the spectators roared) 'Why is he such a coward? Why won't he rush on the steel? Why does he fall so meekly? Why won't he die willingly? "
There is also evidence of someone who was dressed as a Roman god called Hades (god of death) and hit the people who had been killed with a hammer to make sure that they wee definitely dead. After they were proved to be dead, a slave q=would drag the dead body out of the arena (with a hook) through a gate called the Porta Libitinensis which was named after the goddess Libitina (a goddess of death). The evedence came from a picture of someone dressed as Hades standing over a body, with a slave holding a pole by his side: