Because I believe that Rome and USA are extremely similar, I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess it was all marketing and advertising, that none of those gladiator names were real men (the games were real and there were gladiators, just no one lived long enough to be a known name), and those artifacts found all over the world were giveaways if you attended on “cup day”! “Hecho en Egipto” on the bottom 😂
Gladiators were really the sport celebrities of their area. Many of them were actually professionals that enrolled themselves in the gym to end a miserable life on the streets and start a path toward the olympus. They were also bought and sold by their trainers exactly like the sports players of today. As far as I know not so many found their death in the arena, because killing a gladiator meant you had to compensate their trainer with a lot of money. So usually the most popular ones, therefore with the higher value, would fight under their retirement where they would then enjoy the rest of their life with the money they had earned.
In fairness, we treat modern football players as disposable too — look at the NFL's cavalier attitude towards head injuries. Or that the average running back plays for 2 1/2 years, and even the best at the position are considered washed up by 30. Damar Hamlin nearly died during a Bills game last year, but the bread and circuses continued apace, and he's back on the field this fall. Whatever sells more souvenir cups and oil lamps.
But are they slaves who either fight or die? Or are suggesting that they’re enslaved by the money, fame, etc. that seems to be the lot of the pro ballers? Seems unlikely that street urchins in ancient Rome couldn’t wait to grow up and be gladiators.
But the merch is fascinating. Seems unlikely that there was much of that stuff going on during the medieval dark ages. I wonder whether the renaissance brought back any kind of similar game/hero culture? They didn’t have football. Not obvious what renaissance hockey might have looked like.
True that. But the compensation is far from trivial. A security guard who works here has two sons who played for and graduated from Alabama the same day. Both got pro ball contracts in New York. I’ve heard an 8-figure number bandied about, and the first digit wasn’t a 1, 2, or 3. If they get hurt and can’t play ball, they understand very clearly that they play a violent game for money. Quite a lot of money.
(Our guard needs to work about as much as a fish needs a bicycle. We like him and he likes us.)
Because I believe that Rome and USA are extremely similar, I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess it was all marketing and advertising, that none of those gladiator names were real men (the games were real and there were gladiators, just no one lived long enough to be a known name), and those artifacts found all over the world were giveaways if you attended on “cup day”! “Hecho en Egipto” on the bottom 😂
There were in fact extremely famous celebrity gladiators who won scores of fights before dying.
Gladiators were really the sport celebrities of their area. Many of them were actually professionals that enrolled themselves in the gym to end a miserable life on the streets and start a path toward the olympus. They were also bought and sold by their trainers exactly like the sports players of today. As far as I know not so many found their death in the arena, because killing a gladiator meant you had to compensate their trainer with a lot of money. So usually the most popular ones, therefore with the higher value, would fight under their retirement where they would then enjoy the rest of their life with the money they had earned.
Yes -- it wasn't always quite as deadly as modern people often think, and there are examples of people who voluntarily signed up to be gladiators.
Anyone ever see the ‘70’s cult classic, “Death Race 2000”?? 😂🤔🤷♂️🤦♂️😔
In fairness, we treat modern football players as disposable too — look at the NFL's cavalier attitude towards head injuries. Or that the average running back plays for 2 1/2 years, and even the best at the position are considered washed up by 30. Damar Hamlin nearly died during a Bills game last year, but the bread and circuses continued apace, and he's back on the field this fall. Whatever sells more souvenir cups and oil lamps.
But are they slaves who either fight or die? Or are suggesting that they’re enslaved by the money, fame, etc. that seems to be the lot of the pro ballers? Seems unlikely that street urchins in ancient Rome couldn’t wait to grow up and be gladiators.
But the merch is fascinating. Seems unlikely that there was much of that stuff going on during the medieval dark ages. I wonder whether the renaissance brought back any kind of similar game/hero culture? They didn’t have football. Not obvious what renaissance hockey might have looked like.
Le plus se change….
Yep, football players are often well-compensated but the second they get injured, they're tossed aside.
True that. But the compensation is far from trivial. A security guard who works here has two sons who played for and graduated from Alabama the same day. Both got pro ball contracts in New York. I’ve heard an 8-figure number bandied about, and the first digit wasn’t a 1, 2, or 3. If they get hurt and can’t play ball, they understand very clearly that they play a violent game for money. Quite a lot of money.
(Our guard needs to work about as much as a fish needs a bicycle. We like him and he likes us.)