Pompeii is a unique observatory for studying the history of the gladiators as well as the game arrangements. The inscriptions which have turned the Pompeii wall famous without the doubt are one the most interesting as well as informative writing that has recorded down. In the ancient times, writing of wall was abundant in all populate area of the ancient world, however only the cities of the Roman were destroyed through the catastrophic eruption of the closest volcano in AD 79. Currently, a number exceeding seven thousand Pompeii wall inscriptions as well as the surrounding environment have been printed. The published environments have later in the fourth volume been transcribed in a book known as the corpus inscriptional latinarum together with all of its supplements. Most of the inscriptions were devoted to the final years of Pompeii; however, some belonged to periods that were more ancient. Wall inscriptions are mainly grouped into two: the ones that are written using a brush and those that get etched to the surface (Jacobelli & Luciana 23).
The local magistrates commissioned the edictal obligated by law in offering gladiatorial spectacles following their year in office, which was half financed by the city and half by the magistrates. There were similarities in wordings in every notice with only a few additions or little differences. Later the name of the editor muneris was recognized in the genitive in a variety of letters at the top, followed by the number of gladiators to be displayed.
The Buildings
The Amphitheater
According to Franklin & James (438), the Pompeii is one of the typical ancient serving venues made by spectacles. The building g was constructed around 70 B.C, at the cost of the duoviri. Some of the wealthy ruling class was such Quinctius Values along with Merccus Porcius. The truth concerning their antiquity can be looked even in the dedicatory inscription, at the point the name spectacular is used, instead of the term for the amphitheater, which was not seen until the present time. The amphitheater at Pompeii was constructed in the place to the southeast, in taking an advantage partly concerning the embankment instead ran along the fortification walls back. However, on the north and west corners, there was the creation of natural levee from the globe cleared out the arena along with the slop are of caves (Franklin & James 438). The series of the blind arches was represented from the outside by the lower part while the top side represented various spans which were fewer in number and did not go much higher. Two stairways that were double were built in the northwest and the western parties to come to the upper passageway whereas two single stairs were constructed on both the southern and the northern sides.
Franklin & James (439) further notes that the arena that measured sixty-six by thirty-four meters had a border of the parapet that measured two meters high and had been left behind with a decoration. The field was accessed by two vaulted tunnels which basalt rocks had paved through them facilitating the passage of types of equipment being transported by carts that were adequate for the spectacles. In the two pits, there was a descent that was very steep in every tunnel whose objective was to compensate for the elevation’s difference measuring about four to five meters in between the arena and the outer floor.
A very narrow which is also the third tunnel is located on the western side of the shorter side of the ellipse. The third tunnel which is also the service tunnel facilitated the connection of the arena to the outside world. The relationship was used as a path as hypothesized where the bodies of the killed gladiators in combat were taken out. Also, the space that was small on the inside of the corridor of the arena was a place where first aid was carried out to the injured and where the deposition of the murdered gladiators was done. Since there is no any proof for the above-stated theory, other scientists stated in their studies that these corridors were used by magistrates that also connect to the ima have in reaching the seats that had been reserved for them to avoid the crowds. Further studies show that there are theories that state that the victorious gladiators walked through this passage when going to be awarded (Welch & Katherine 435).
Welch & Katherine (435) advocates that Pompeii's amphitheater lacks basement chambers. However, the four houses that have been placed symmetrically each at the end of the entrance of the corridors had been kept safe for the wild animals and the gladiators. There were also two passages on the western part that are smaller in size that also lead the way to the tunnel and is referred to as crypta, and it passes under the media cavea seats. The primary objective of this tunnel was to serve the dam under the thrust and also facilitate the best order for taking places by the spectators who were required to put to use all available entrances to minimize crowding in one hall. The crypta also facilitates the two main corridors that give a clear way to the arena. Furthermore, both the crypta and all other passages during that time were reinforced by brick arches.
Magistrate Cuspius together with his male child started an essential task of restoring the cavae after an earthquake that had happened in the sixty-two year AD. The amended cavae is divided into three different parts separated by two other balustrades constructed by blocks of tufa. The lower region of the ima cable consists of four substantial flat terraces where wooden seats that are portable used by the authorities of the city are kept (Zanker & Paul 226). A continuous balustrade that measures around eighty centimeters high separates the ima cavea from the entire amphitheater thereby avoiding any contact or violence between the crowd and the present spectators.
In the amphitheater, there were portraits of wild animals such as lions and tigers thereby indicating with no doubt that the animals had been put on display in the arena. However, according to the scientist that gave the announcement about munera did not mention such beasts. Furthermore, the Pompeii amphitheater did not seem to have had technical devices that had been used in the exhibition of the tigers. Therefore it is clear to state that in the venations of Pompeii, the animals that had been displayed are those that had the disability of leaping to enter to the cavae to give rise unplanned distinct spectacle (Zanker & Paul 227).
The Modern Buildings of Pompeii
Pompeii at the current times stands about a distance from the ocean, and very powerfully negotiations have been presented to show it must be at the similar miles in the ancient times. However, the condition of Pompeii appears to have possessed the entire community benefits that every refined desired taste. Following the sea verge, at the fertile plain’ entrance, on the navigated river bank, the conveniences of the commercial town is united from the security of the station of the military (Cooley & Alison et al., 447). The city of Pompeii was in the early times surrounded by walls which were traced by large portions. The general figure of the town according to the given definitions resembles an egg with its apex located at the amphitheater. The circuit of the city is about two miles; the wideness is less than one mile whereas the length is almost three-quarters of a meter.
The theaters quarter comprised of an enormous temple which was known as the Neptune temple or the Hercules temple, there was also other churches such as the Isis temple, Aesculapius temple and the triangular forum among others. Furthermore, houses in Pompeii were small in heights and were gloomy on the externals. The lower part consisted of a blank plastered wall which was often painted using different colors. Its upper portion had small unique windows which were pieced to allow light to enter inside especially those houses on the first floor (Cooley & Alison et al., 447).
The origination of gladiatorial combat of Rome in the early times was during the year two hundred and sixty-four before Christ. The origin is trusted to be decently Etruscan according to a scholar known as Nicolas who resided in Damascus in the first century. The claim was further supported by another professor who used to deal with terminology translation with related with games department, and due to his support the belief about gladiators and its derivation from the Etruscans, the faith spread worldwide (Welch Katherine 56). However, another scholar from Rome whose name was Livy understood and trusted that gladiators the fight of companies that took place in Samnium, whereby immediately after the battle, the gladiator combats got held between the Campania and the Roman people. According to Livy, the Roman victory over the Samnium led to the formation of the first category of gladiators who were then named the Samnite. The Samnites characterized a shield that was curved square and also had gladius. According to scholars, Samnites were the best gladiators under the armor in the early years until the time the munera evolved leaving most body parts unarmored.
According to Welch & Katherine (58), the first gladiator who fought was known as Delicious Brutus who took up the fight to honor his deceased father in the year two hundred and sixty-four before Christ. Another battle that was fought by a munera in the year two hundred and sixteen had an objective of honoring a consul known as Marcus Aemilius and a priest called augur. The fight lasted for three days and was fought by twenty-two gladiators’ pairs. In two hundred and six before Christ, another battle that Scipio Africanus fought was for his uncle and father honoring who were slaughtered during a Punic war. The above early fights recorded as games that were used in accepting those relatives who had fallen, died or the figures that were aristocratic. During the second century, the munera gladiators became less interested in the context of religion, and the combat gladiators started being a common sport for spectators. Since gladiators had begun being an attraction zone for spectators, training and gladiator rule started increasing, and various individuals were allowed to join and participate in the munera. By doing so, the munera evolution was signified into an affair that was marketable for the republic to acquire power and status.
The amphitheater was large which indicated the increase and fame caused by the games held by gladiators. In seventy AD, around one hundred games were played in a day in Coliseum. During this year, the coliseum could occupy fifty thousand individuals, and the building was highly architectural as time went by drawing more and more people as spectators. The large display promoted public killings of the ancient tradition providing opportunities to murder even the unwanted individuals to attain both political and economic gain. Three kinds of individuals have been stated in generally being gladiators, and these were the slaves, the war prisoners, and the condemned criminals. Those who became prisoners after wars had the priority in taking part in fights because the victory of Rome resulted in most combats with potentiality. Moreover, those criminals who were condemned by the empire of Rome were also used as a spectacle for the spectators and those who emerged to be strongest were moved to schools to be trained as gladiators. On the other hand, the slaves were recognized by different groups of gladiators following their status since for one to be a gladiator, and all their rights were snatched from them (Welch & Katherine 58).
As the gladiators’ popularity grew, the means by which the winners were appreciated also improved. Pompeii, according to Mt. vesurius eruption, became littered by the graffiti which enabled it to bring forth more gladiators for the favor by pronouncing delight and screaming their girl child joy. Following the huge difference in time between the demise of the gladiators’ relatives, it can be concluded that the munera used their relatives as an excuse to fight but not as a significant reason to fight. True gladiators did not have adequate protection; therefore, they were armed with daggers instead of owning a sword. Gladiators started arming themselves with a heavy weapon when the combat began gaining popularity (Welch & Katherine 60). The heavy weapons such as hasta and lance replaced weapons such as shields and scutum. The warriors furthermore acquired more armor even though different kinds of gladiators owned different amounts of armor. Differences in the number of armor were based on how the gladiators were famous.
Types of Gladiators in Pompeii
Andabatae were the gladiators who even though they had little kinds of their helmet, they were highly restricted. Sometimes they were armed by gladius, foot fighting or also blindly attacking and in cases where they fought while on horses, they used spears as their weapons. Their bodies were covered by armor apart from the chest that stayed uncovered. The andabataes were most of the time used in the fight whose primary objective was to bring the comic type of relief due to their ability to fight without seeing. The other type of gladiators were the catervarii gladiators who had their unique fighting way (Jashemski & Wilhelmina 391). The uniqueness of their fighting was not influenced by the armor used but instead due to the kind of their opponents. The catervarii instead of fighting singles fights, they struggled with many gladiators in groups. Such conflicts made then need more heavy and effective weapons during the war.
Jashemski &Wilhelmina (392) notes that equity, on the other hand, were gladiators who fought on the back of horses more than on their feet. However, in cases where the gladiators fall from the horse, the other was required to get down and fight from the ground to avoid one party taking advantages of the other party. When fighting, they had many weapons that were different from one another which they were required to select from during the war. Equities used weapons such as hasta and light spears that would be thrown, not forgetting gladius which was the long double-edged straight sword. They were placed in the forefront in fights during the gladiatorial games day.
Hoplomachi turned out to be the most muscular gladiators who also had a lot of armors. Apart from fighting using gladius, the also brought by hasta thereby enabling them to access both the long and the short weapon range. The shield refers to the helmet that had a visor plus a manicure, a guard of an arm which was formed from leather not forgetting the greaves made of metal that worn on both legs (Jashemski & Wilhelmina 395). Following the substantial amounts of armors worn by these gladiators, their fight was always slow as they used to fight with other gladiators that dressed in the same attire.
Another group is the secutores gladiators. Jashemski & Wilhelmina (395) explores that, Secutores are believed to have gotten their name from their combat who were the retiarii. In times when the retiarii were unable to acquire the vector inside their homes, the sector defeated their enemies. A letter that was written to Caesar from orator the great stated that the Caesar owned about five hundred spectators who lived in Capua. The retiarii gladiators, on the other hand, were the least armored gladiators who just wore a tunic that was very short. The armor worn was disadvantageously compensated by the weapons they carried. Retiarii were armed by a lance that was three pointed which was well known as trident and a net. During their fight, they would try entangling their enemies, who were in most cases the sectors or mirmillo. In case they succeeded, they would go ahead and attack using their tridents but in situations where they failed, forcing them to get their net and run away from their opponents before they died.
Gladius Construction
During the creation of gladius, authentic methods were put in place. Iron was smelted using bloomeries in the thousand years before blast furnace was introduced. To purify metal in a bloomery, iron core was put on top of burning charcoal and when the ore was heated, iron particles from inside would then fall below to the furnace bottom. The fallen particles get connected to the unwanted materials that were referred to as slag (Brion &Marcel 247). The mass combination of slag and iron was known as bloom; therefore, it contained both unwanted and wasted elements, and there was the need to separate them. Separation was done through heating and hammering of the blood to remove slag from the needed iron. The left behind metal called wrought iron.
When steel needed to be produced, placing back of wrought iron back to the furnace was done and more charcoal added to enable more absorption of carbon from the charcoal in doping process, hence forming steel. The excess carbon that is added to wrought iron makes steel even harder compared to the iron itself. When metals were heated, they, therefore, became pliable and would then undergo the hammering process to provide the desired shapes of swords. Quenching of metals was then done after sufficient carburization and shaped. Before construction started, there was the need to purchase all the required materials in sword formation. Steel was used in the structure of gladius swords (Brion &Marcel 247). Mixtures of high quantities of iron and carbon were placed in the sword’s center, and on the edges, low coal and steel were placed. After the construction of both the corner and the tip of a sword, the creation of a basic sword took place using the sledgehammer. After heating the steel, striking was done while it was still hot to change its shape. The process led to the outward expansion which gave the sword an adequate form of Pompeii Gladius.
Conclusion
In conclusion, several partitions had decorated in Pompeii were closed mosaics. The things that were interesting concerning mural paintings is that are decorated with freshly moist lime plaster leading it to become highly influential. On the other hand, mosaics were formed by the use smaller pieces of glass that were decorated as well as blocs along with other materials. The Pompeii buildings were artfully organized to create an elegant image. Therefore, mosaics along with mural paintings depicted everything from Roman myths, entertainments, religion, fights, and awareness among others. Following the above paper, it is well understood that the ancient Rome had an obsession with gladiatorial games. Gladius used to be weapons formed from iron which was used for both entertainments for the Roman people and in the expansion of the Roman Empire through the conquest of the military. In the gladius construction, different properties of metals that form blade are well described. Such features included the flexibility and the durability of the metals. It is therefore essential to note that the gladius will continue to act as the best swords formed from iron which has already secured a historical place.
Work Cited
Brion, Marcel. Pompeii and Herculaneum: the glory and the grief. Crown Publishers, 1960.
Cooley, Alison E., and Melvin George Lowe Cooley. Pompeii and Herculaneum: A sourcebook. Routledge, 2013.
Franklin, James L. "Cn. Alleius Nigidius Maius and the Amphitheatre:" Munera" and a Distinguished Career at Ancient Pompeii." Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte H. 4 (1997): 434-447.
Jacobelli, Luciana. Gladiators at Pompeii. Getty Publications, 2003.
Jashemski, Wilhelmina F. "Excavations in the" Foro Boario" at Pompeii: A preliminary report." American journal of Archaeology 72.1 (1968): 69-73.
Jashemski, Wilhelmina F. "The Discovery of a Market-Garden Orchard at Pompeii: The Garden of the" House of the Ship Europa"." American Journal of Archaeology 78.4 (1974): 391- 404.
Welch, Katherine E. The Roman amphitheatre: from its origins to the Colosseum. Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Zanker, Paul. Pompeii: public and private life. Vol. 11. Harvard University Press, 1998.
