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
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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