Fighting talk

GUY DE LA BÉDOYÈRE is impressed by a deep dive into the world of ancient Roman gladiators that shines a light on diverse aspects of that civilisation

- GUY DE LA BÉDOYÈRE

The most intriguing aspect of this book is that it's written as a sort of 'life in the day' of the Colosseum, that vast edifice begun in Rome by the emperor Vespasian (AD 69-79) to entertain the masses. It's an engaging way to tackle this most emotive, disgusting and enthralling side of Roman life, and takes account of the evidence that is scattered across space and time “to build a composite picture of a typical night and day at the gladiatorial games”.

As one dives further into the book, though, it transpires that this is really a much broader survey - and a very successful one, at that - not just of gladiators but of the wider Roman world.

The Colosseum was home to all sorts of public spectacles, but none has gripped the modern imagination more than combat involving those highly trained warriors who fought to the death, each armed and equipped according to one of several specialisms. There can be few people who visit the Colosseum – or other Roman amphitheatres, such as those in Pompeii (the oldest stone amphitheatre in the Roman world) and El Djem in Tunisia – who do not spare a thought for those who died in the noise and tumult of the arena, speared by a trident or run through with a short sword. That these buildings existed at all is a comment on the Romans’ enduring love of violence. Of course, we probably all have a lurking suspicion that a revival of such games in our own time might be worryingly successful.