Martyrdom+in+Ancient+Rome

For my topic, I would like to focus on the martyrs of Ancient Rome, while focusing on the persecution and torture of these peoples, ranging from Gladiators to Crucifixion. I would explore the origin of these types of persecution and the period in which they were the most popular. For this report, there won’t be any sort of religious undertones and just have it be an objective research report on the topics I listed.

"The floodplains along the Nile constitute an important but as yet little utilized series of laboratories for the comparative study of the origins and interaction of ancient civilization."

Instead of finding an article, I decided to cite a book since I found one that suits my topic perfectly.. It is... Kyle, D. G. (1998). //Spectacles of death in ancient Rome//. London: Routledge.

Gladiators and public spectacles were very popular in Ancient Rome, and they were significant in many aspects. Their main significance was to express what it was to be a Roman Citizen, and more importantly a Roman Male. The ideals were exemplified in every aspect of the games. They set the example of the need to publicly display one’s manliness, the need to act properly in the public sphere of life, and this was all articulated through the symbolic use of violence and communicated what it meant to be a Roman Male.

Auguet, Roland (1972). //Cruelty and// Civilization: the Roman games. New York: Routledge

This article chronicles the games, for what they were, sadistic cruelty. Auguet explains the roman mentality and the roman lifestyle through these games. He says that these games “pervaded life and they imposed their rhythm on existence and provided nourishment for the passions.” Romans lived for these games and this explained a lot about their mentality. These games first appeared in 264 BC as a funerary rite for the great emperor Brutus, but they quickly lost this funerary reputation and just became public spectacles. Auguet also chronicles the games through the times from their origins as funerary rites then when they became glorified human sacrifices. Gladiators were also seen as sex symbols, just as we see modern day sports stars. Women were just as interested in these games as men were. They ruled every aspect of life, and lives revolved around these games.



//Virtus// was one of the principle values in Roman culture, it is derived from the Latin word //vir// which means man, and meant something like //manliness// in the Roman context. It implied valor, manliness, excellence, courage, character, and worth, which were the ideal masculine traits. Many key social ideas were also communicated through these games. They demonstrated the need to have honor and avoid shame, the need to publicly display one’s manliness, the need to act properly in the public sphere of life, all articulated through the symbolic use of violence, all of which communicated what it meant to be a male in Roman society.

Toner, J.P (1995) //Leisure and Ancient Rome//. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.