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Etruscans
Ancient
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Rome
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History
of Rome: | The Origins of Rome | The seven Kings of Rome |
The Conquest of Italy and the Punic Wars |
The Republic and social struggle | The
Republic in crisis | Julius
Caesar and the end of the Republic | Augustus and the Empire |
The Julio
Claudian dynasty | The Five Good Emperors
| Other Emperors | Emperor Constantine and Christianisation
|Fall of the Roman Empire of the West |
Aspects of Rome: | Religion and Mithras | Schools | Literature | Games, Sport and Pass-times | Food | Social Structure and Class | Government & Law |Shopping | Economy of Ancient Rome | Roman Coins | Building and Engineering | Art | Dress and Clothing |Early Christianity | The Gladiators | Gory Martyrdoms | The Vestal Virgins |
The Gladiators: |Gladiator | Commodus | Training | Gladiator fights | After the Gladiatorial fights | Types of Gladiator | More types and Classes of Gladiator | Christian martyrs and the Colosseum | Christians against the Circus and Colosseum | Gladiators, Christians and Fish |Rise and Fall of the Gladiators |
As for the martyrdom of Christians it has to be said that the persecution of Christians was limited to a number of particular periods and circumstances. Although historically Christian martyrdom has been closely associated with the Amphitheatre the execution of Christians was more likely to be held in the Circus of chariot races . It was usual for the executions to take on other forms such as crucifixion, for example rather than Gladiatorial fight or "damnatio ad bestia".
The Catholic church of the Middle Ages and Renaissance maintained and strengthened this view of the Colosseum. There are accounts of crosses in the middle and of the twelve stages of the Crucifixion which would regularly be used for religious displays. Certainly the Colosseum was a monument to death which provided a useful counterpoise and monument to the Christian religion's belief in life.
Although Christians certainly died in the Colosseum there seems to be scant reference to the supposed rivers of (Christian) blood which were supposed to have flowed out of it at the end of Domitian's persecution. As for Nero's persecution of the Christians, this could not have had any episodes in the Colosseum, given that the Flavian Amphitheatre as it was then known, was not yet constructed.
The Gladiators: |Gladiator | Commodus | Training | Gladiator fights | After the Gladiatorial fights | Types of Gladiator | More types and Classes of Gladiator | Christian martyrs and the Colosseum | Christians against the Circus and Colosseum | Gladiators, Christians and Fish |Rise and Fall of the Gladiators |
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This page about Rome history was written by Giovanni Milani-Santarpia for www.mariamilani.com - Rome apartments