1. Gladiators, are you ready!? Learning Objectives To identify the different types of Gladiator To explain the reasons for the games To judge if the games were just for entertainment Key Words: Samnite Myrmillo Secutor Retiarius

2. Starter Watch this clip from Gladiator. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaYffgD6n BA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaYffgD6n BA Come up with a list of reasons on your table for why the gladiatorial games were so popular.

3. Gladiators Gladiator fights were originally used at the funerals of aristocratic men as his slaves would have been expected to fight to the death in his honour. However, by the time of the Roman emperors gladiatorial fights could be held for any reason such as public holidays or military victory. Gladiators were normally slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Even citizens could become gladiators if they were desperate to earn some extra money. Training a gladiator took years and was a brutal process (although wooden swords were used in training to prevent death or serious injury). In order to begin their training all gladiators had to swear this oath… ‘We solemnly swear to obey our trainer in everything. To endure burning, imprisonment, flogging and even death by the sword.’

4. Types of Gladiator There were many different types of gladiators, however, in groups of 3 you will investigate the 4 main ones (two of them are the same) Samnite Myrmillo and Secutor Retiarius Read the information on your gladiator on pages 45-46 and use your outline to draw and annotate your own gladiator to explain their clothing, armour and weaponry. You will then share your information with the rest of your groups so they can complete their torsos. Extension: Although all different types of gladiators could fight each other the most common contest would be between the lighter armed retiarius and one of the heavier armed gladiators. Why do you think this was?

5. Samnite

6. Myrmillo / Secutor

7. Retarius

8. What was the point of the games? Split your page into three columns titles – Entertainment – Power of the Emperor – Wealth of the empire Read the information on page 46-47 explaining what happened at a gladiatorial show and note down any evidence to support the above three reasons for the games Once you have finished reading the information on the gladiators look back to your work on wild beasts and executions to add additional information to your chart. You may need to use pages 44 and 45 to help you. Extension: Can you think of any other reasons for the games at the Colosseum?

9.  Your task Produce a ‘match report’ on a gladiator contest. In addition to describing the different types of gladiators and their kit, refer to as many magnificent features of the building as possible. In addition you could also describe the different types of animal entertainments as you can remember.  Have action replays of key moments

10.  Success criteria Room for improvementGetting betterWow factor Limited range of features with little or no technical vocab Refers to a limited range of animal entertainments Describes many key features of gladiators Some use of technical vocab Refers to at least 3 animal entertainments Describes key features of all 3 gladiators Confident use of technical vocab e.g. samnite, trident, loin cloth Includes references to at least 5 different animals Pitched at a particular group within Roman society

12. Plenary ‘The sole purpose of the games at the Colosseum was to entertain the masses’ How far do you agree with this statement? Use the evidence you have collected this lesson as well as the quote below before you write your answer. ‘There was a time when the people gave every honour – the governance of provinces, civic leadership, military command – but now they hold themselves back, now two things do they ardently desire: bread and circuses.’ Juvenal, Satires 10.77-81