Ancient Roman Sports, A-Z: Athletes, Venues, Events and TermsChariot races. Gladiatorial combat. Fishing. Hunting. Swimming. The ancient Romans enjoyed these sports--sometimes with fanatical enthusiasm. This reference book contains more than 100 entries covering sporting events and activities of the era, and the Romans who sponsored, competed in and attended them. Charioteer Appuleius Diocles, in a career spanning 24 years, competed in 4,257 races, winning an astounding 1,462 of them. Alypius, the young friend of St. Augustine, was both drawn to and repulsed by gladiatorial battles and struggled to shake his mania for the spectacle of blood sport. Brief abstracts of the entries are included for quick reference, along with an expansive glossary and biographical notes on the ancient authors cited. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 5 | |
Appendix I Glossary of Terms | 185 |
Appendix II Chariot Racing and Gladiatorial Shows | 197 |
Appendix III Important Dates in Roman General History and Sports History | 202 |
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Common terms and phrases
Africa amphitheater ancient animals apparently arena athletes Augustus Aurelius Balsdon battle Blue faction bouts boxers Caligula career Cassiodorus century bce chariot races Cicero Circus Maximus Claudius Coliseum combats contests crowd Dio Cassius Diocles driver emperor Epigram Etruscan extant famous fight foot race fought Full Roman name Gaius gladiatorial school gladiatorial shows gladiators Greek Green faction Harvard University Press Hermes historian honor horse chariots iators inscription Julius Caesar Juvenal killed kind lion Lucius Ludus Magnus Marcus Martial match mock murmillo Nero opponent perhaps Pliny Pliny the Elder Pliny the Younger poems poet prizes Publius racetrack refers reigned retiarius Roman History Roman sports Rome Rome’s russet Satire Scorpus seating areas secutores sesterces slave soldiers SOURCES Spartacus spears spectacle spectators spina sponsored Sport in Greece Suetonius sword Tertullian Thracian Thracian gladiators Tlepolemus translation Troy Game Vatinius victory wild beast hunts William Heinemann winner wrote