How old is the theatre and how was it used?
The Pompeii amphitheatre is quite a spectacle, its construction dates back to around 80BC which makes it one of the oldest buildings in existence and is quite well preserved too. It could hold up to about 12,000 people although others argue 20,000 people and so was used for a number of things like circus performances and gladiatorial battles. Where you were seated all depended on what your social status was. Were you a Patrician? If so, you had the privilege of front row seating and any other comforts you may have required such as food and wine, of course, there were only so few Patricians as you had to be extremely high up in the social ladder or from a very wealthy and respected aristocratic family. So, pretty much everyone else was known as a Plebeian unless you were a slave. [1]
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The Plebeians sat between the front rows and the back rows which still gave you a good view although you would have a lot more people in front of you and the sound wouldn't have been as loud, not from what was happening on stage anyway. If you weren't a Patrician or a Plebeian then you would be a slave. If your master allowed you to go to the theatre you would most likely be in the back row which was quite far away from the action taking place which means it would be quite difficult to see what was going on or hear much either.
What does the theatre tell us about Ancient Roman Life?
The amphitheatre gives us a lot of clues as to what the Ancient Romans did socially with their spare time and what life was like for all types of people; that includes all three of hierarchy statuses: Patricians, Plebeians and Slaves.
For Patricians, going to the theatre was a socially acceptable activity to do and most likely would have been a place for buisness and deals alike. For Plebeians it would be much like us today visiting the cinema with friends; they went there for a good time or if they were bored and it was a chance to meet new people. However, if you were a slave it would probably be because your slave-friend or sibling had a gladiator fight and would most likely die that day by the hand of an experienced volunteer.
For Patricians, going to the theatre was a socially acceptable activity to do and most likely would have been a place for buisness and deals alike. For Plebeians it would be much like us today visiting the cinema with friends; they went there for a good time or if they were bored and it was a chance to meet new people. However, if you were a slave it would probably be because your slave-friend or sibling had a gladiator fight and would most likely die that day by the hand of an experienced volunteer.
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The amphitheatre shows us how their social life and social statuses worked - the hierarchy system was very important to ancient roman citizens as you can see by analyzing information and clues that this magnificent artifact can give us, as we did above.
Who would fight in the theatre?
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It is thought that the gladiator idea started from a funeral ritual, where at the ceremony two people were paid to fight to the death in honour to the deceased (that was around 264BC). Some time after, gladiatorial battles became popular for the wealthy peoples' entertainment which was supposed to show off their wealth and power to others. In Pompeii, a lot of advertisements for the gladiatorial fights were preserved and it seems as though the more gladiators that were fighting in one session, the more generous the sponser would be (money-wise) and the more glamourous and exciting the battle would be. The majority of gladiators were slaves, but no matter their background, all gladiators were put on high-energy diets, trained for fighting and were given the best medical attention in the city; so it was quite an expensive investment.
If a gladiator was not a slave then they were a roman citizen volunteer who may have been searching for a way to make himself famous.[2] [3]
If a gladiator was not a slave then they were a roman citizen volunteer who may have been searching for a way to make himself famous.[2] [3]
Why is the theatre significant?
Back when Pompeii was a live city, the amphitheatre was one of the centre places where all sorts of people came to have fun and spend their free time and money on bets. Therefore, the Pompeii amphitheatre is an extremely important artifact for those of us trying to understand the life of ancient Romans because there is no other theatre quite like this one anywhere else in the world. Most amphitheatres were made of wood, but the existing one in Pompeii was made of stone which is why it was so well preserved and lasted through the ages this long. It is significant because everything that was going on at the theatre at the time of the eruption in 79AD, is still there today for all to see.
REFERENCES
[1] http://www.pompeionline.net/pompeii/amphitheatre.htm
[2] http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/gladiators_01.shtml
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiatorial
[1] http://www.pompeionline.net/pompeii/amphitheatre.htm
[2] http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/gladiators_01.shtml
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiatorial