Roman Entertainment

Public v. Private Entertainment Without electricity, the Romans did not have many of the leisure-time options we do. Private parties almost always centered around dinner (cena) and music or dancers might perform. Only the wealthy had the facilities for these. The lower classes relied almost entirely on public displays (spectacula) for entertainment. These were funded by wealthy members of society for political reasons, and generally had some religious purpose.

Theatre: Tragedy and Comedy The Romans loved theatre, which they mostly borrowed from the Greeks. Great wooden platforms would be set up (permanent theatres were not allowed until the time of Pompey) for these shows. These plays did not involve many actors or great changes in scenery. Tragedies, somber stories about the fall of heroes, were popular with the upper classes, while most others preferred comedies, which were generally very slapstick in ancient Rome.

Amphitheatre The amphitheatre was for blood sports – Romans loved to watch violence and death for entertainment. A very popular but expensive spectacle was the venatio – when exotic beasts would attack each other or be hunted by gladiators in the arena; this was something of a cross between a safari and a trip to the zoo. Animals were also often involved in damnatio – the execution of public criminals in the arena, often by forcing them to kill each other or letting them be eaten by wild beasts.

Modern culture is fascinated by gladiators – men who fought in the arena, originally as part of funeral games. Gladiators trained in a particular style like the ‘Thracian’ or ‘Reticularius.’ Some were even purposefully ridiculous, like the much-later ‘clibinarius.’ However, gladiators were well-trained and expensive men, and apparently generally survived combat even when they lost. They might be deserters from the legion, violent criminals, or even civilians who sold themselves as gladiators for a chance at fame.

Ampthitheatres were some of the most impressive and recognizable buildings in the Roman world. The Flavian Amphitheatre, also known as the Colosseum, still stands. Many ranks of seating for tens of thousands of spectators rose in a stadium fashion, and the bottom was covered in sand (harena) to make clean-up easier. On special occasions, some amphiteatres could be flooded, or lakes could be used for naumachia – ship battles with fleets crewed by gladiators.

Circus races The Roman circus was a round track for races. Chariot races were possibly the most popular entertainment in ancient Rome, and the largest building was the Circus Maximus. Races could be very dangerous, and successful aurigae (charioteers) could be very famous. A good driver drove dangerously close to the metae at either end of the spina. There were four teams in ancient Rome – the Reds, Whites, Blues, and Greens.