Customer Reviews

The Age of the Gladiators: Savagery & Spectacle in Ancient Rome

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's worth it for the reader of my review to also read the review below mine from Michael. His review is fair and touches on some good points about the book. However, I give this book a little more credit (maybe a lot more since I give it 5 stars).

I, too, discovered this book in Barnes and Noble at a decent bargain bin price around $6. I knew nothing about gladiators (having seen Spartacus or Gladiator still doesn't mean you know anything ;)), but I did have some general understanding of the basic Roman history. Well, when I started reading it, I found the author's writing style and his succinct chapters very pleasing. The chapters are short and to the point: Origin of the Games, Spartacus, Training the Gladiators, Varieties of Killer, Naval Battles, Wild Animal Hunts, Executions, The Colosseum... etc etc; chapters that focus on one aspect of the Roman games and everything that correlates with it. There is no meandering or pedantic scholarly side-steps into boring history. The book is small, too, so its 236 pages are more like reading 100, but that doesn't negate its impact as an educating book; think of the book as quality over quantity.

Regarding the information on the gladiatorial games, I found this book immensely informative. I knew nothing about the gladiator styles, the murmillo and secutors, or the perversely creative ways of executing prisoners (you won't believe it; throwing Christians to the lions was just the beginning). Even more so, I had no idea just how many people AND animals were killed; thousands and thousands and thousands over years and years. When you read that actual animal species became extinct from all the imports of animals and slaughters in the arena, suddenly it seems not even the history of nature, with all the slain wildlife can even compete with Rome's insatiable lust for dead animals. PETA would go insane and kill themselves from the statistics. This is just one very enlightening highlight in this book and there's plenty more to be had.

However, this book does not focus entirely on gladiators; it's not really meant to be that thorough of a project. It's more of an introduction to Roman entertainment in general. It does detail the Roman Triumphs (equivalent of our military parades), the Bread Doles and even touches on some of the debauched parties held by Caligula and Nero. By the end of the book, the gladiators are in the background and no longer under the spotlight. Depending on how fast you read the book, this may leave you wanting more about the gladiators. However, if you read fast, you'll still retain what you know about gladiators and not miss them when the last half of the book focuses on other things.

But this is not a negative point to me. The book ends quite nicely with chapters touching on Cleopatra, the barbarians encroaching on Rome, and then the final fall. From the start of the book you feel like you're reading about an amazing race of people that we will never see again. And at the end, as Michael commented on below, you sadly read the fact that Rome becomes a joke, destroyed by its own corruption and ineptitude.

Bottom line: If you would like a relatively quick and pleasing read on the underrated portions of Rome's history (the War in Sicily, Gladiatorial games, and even sex parties held by Caligula) this is a good book to start with. If you're somewhat of an aficionado on Roman history, you might not be all that impressed; it's an introduction to Rome, gladiators, the horse races, and the "Savagery and Spectacle in Ancient Rome" as the subtitle of the book suggests.

I was in a Barnes and Noble one day and I saw this book on the bargain table for about half the original price. I just discovered that Amazon has it for even a lower price than I paid.

Nevertheless, the book started off with what I thought it should; talking about Gladiators. From the origin, training, those who became Gladiators, to the different types of Gladiators, when they were used, how much the "games" meant to Roman society and how the Gladiators died, I found the information intriquing. A description of how they dressed during their arena battles was also included. All of this was great information. I gave this book three stars because only the first half talked about Gladiators.

After that, the rest of the book included general Roman society. It was interesting and nice to know information but I didn't have my mind set for that. The rest of the book talked about the "Circuses" including chariot races, Roman festivals and riots. There was a section about Roman Triumphs, which were spectacles put on for returning conquering generals. Then there was a section about the food supply in Rome. The author managed to fit Cleopatra in this section. It just isn't why I bought the book.

I found that there were some sections that repeated information, not in a "review" manner, but as if it was the first time introduced into the material.

Overall, I suppose all of this stuff does fit into the title of the book, "The Age of the Gladiators." All of this stuff occurred during the age they existed. There are interesting pictures that lead each section and the front cover is a great picture. I found myself looking at it during the author's description of what a Gladiator wore.

This was enough to whet my appetite for more Gladiator knowledge and Roman history, in general. It's sad the way Rome fell. So, if you want a book talking exclusively about Gladiators, there must be others out there. But if you don't mind reading tidbits of information about general Roman society, then this book isn't a bad one to start with.

Since I totally agree with all reviews below, I'll not repeat all the valid points written by previous readers.

I understand that such information can be obtained from researching many works and documents since there are no ancient writings on the gladiator subject. Must have been a tidy work to collect bits and pieces and organization such info. Unfortunately, although the info is great and objective, it is not integrated together in a well structured book at all. It seems that each little chapter was written in its own with disregard to the rest of the book. As a result a lot of info repeats many times during subsequent chapters.

Consequently one can read about the gladiators and their games and then about the Circus and Triumphs etc and get the feeling that they did not have anything to do with each other. In fact all of them happened during the same time, over a thousand years, and were part of the same events.

The second half of the book is very good info but does not belong under this title. The wars with Carthage, Cleopatra and her life (although I have to say that I had no idea she was the descendant of Ptolemy, Alexander's general), subject of free grain and bread etc had no relation with the main subject.

Unfortunately I got so upset the book was not structure very well that I went and bought another book on Gladiators ... even more disappointing.

Mark Anthony - good one! I did no get that :)

Age of the Gladiators: Savagery & Spectacle in Ancient Rome
By Rupert Matthews

You're at a dinner party, and you overhear your neighbor discussing gladiatorial games in ancient Rome. You sidle over and slip into the conversation, "Did you know that an ape was once trained to drive a chariot pulled by camels?"

Later, you check in on the teenagers in the basement watching the newly released Blu-Ray version of Russell Crowe's "Gladiator". After Maximus slices through the last of his latest foes, you pipe in with, "Did you know that condemned criminals (and sometimes Christians) were, in fact, thrown to lions, but they were also thrown to crocodiles, wolves, dogs and bears?"

Rupert Matthews' "Age of the Gladiators: Savagery & Spectacle in Ancient Rome" is filled with anecdotes and examples of gladiator styles, equipment, and modes of murder and mayhem throughout the Roman Empire. After reading "Age", you'll have plenty of conversational pocket change to unload on unwitting neighbors, disinterested kids, and half-listening spouses.

The first half of the book focuses on all things gladiator: origins, history, decline, the gladiator and their games, training, types of fighters, naval battles, wild animal hunts, executions as part of games, and then the Colosseum itself. There's also a chapter that provides a nice overview of the world's most famous non-fiction gladiator - Spartacus and his slave rebellion. The second half of the book covers a range of items like circuses, chariot and horse racing, Roman festivals, triumphs, bread doles and starvation, and a random assortment of other topics that generally fall under the heading of "Savagery & Spectacle."

This book, however, is neither erudite nor academic - probably not the best choice as a reference in a doctoral dissertation. It has no bibliography or notes of any kind, and only periodic and passing references to the origination of a quote or tidbit of information. In addition to some questionable analysis, Matthews is oddly repetitive. On the first page of the first chapter (following the introduction), Matthews explains that historically a gladiatorial fight was called munus (munera in the plural) which means obligation. Gladiatorial fights were staged during funeral celebrations and so the fight was an obligation to the dead. Munus and munera are referenced throughout, but inexplicably, in the chapter on Roman circuses midway through the book, Matthews felt it necessary to remind us "If a ... relative died ... a suitably impressive munus, a gladiatorial show, could be staged."

In another display of authorial forgetfulness, Matthews writes how Romulus, one half of the city-founding super-twins, organized a horse race in honor of the god Consus, patron of the harvest. He writes this on page 124...and page 130 - as if it was new information each time.

It doesn't help the books' credibility that he repeatedly refers to Julius Caesars' close friend Mark Anthony. Last I heard, Mark Anthony is married to J. Lo and the closest he's come to Julius is on the blackjack tables at Caesar's Palace. Antony is referenced correctly in a later chapter and in the index, but there's an editor at Arcturus Publishing in the UK who might consider a new line of work...

This book is best viewed as a series of independent essays compiled into a collection of writings on gladiators and spectacle in ancient Rome. If one can overcome the aforementioned foibles, there are some nice info nuggets. I wasn't aware that there was a sort of loose minor league structure within the world of chariot racers. Each factione (Chariot teams consisting of team Red, White, Blue and Green) had an informal relationship with its' counterpart in smaller cities near Rome. Also, riders would, at times, change factiones, not unlike the modern day charioteer Dale Earnhardt, Jr. who recently switched NASCAR teams.

Most people are aware of the depths of Nero's depravity, but Matthews wrote on one incident which was new to me. While the Emperor was preparing to recite an epic poem he'd written about the life of Hercules, an unfortunate thief was caught stealing apples from Nero's gardens. Theft of an Emperor's property was considered treason and so he was condemned to death. Nero had a fantastically efficient idea of combining the recitation and execution. The thief appeared in the final scene in Nero's drama. He was clothed in a coat smeared in pitch and set alight and pushed on stage, emulating (or is that immolating) Hercules' mythological flaming death. Matthews writes, "His searing death agonies formed the triumphal end to Nero's play."

The book contains a map - ostensibly of the Roman Empire at AD 211, and illustrations roughly tied to each chapter. Frustratingly, other than the cover painting called Pollice Verso by Jean Leon Gerome, which I find quite powerful, there are no illustration credits.

If you're going to Italy for the first time and enjoyed the movie "Gladiator", then this is a good enough book to provide you context and background. If you're interest in roman history is relatively new and you're looking for a simple, easy-to-read overview of gladiators and excess, then this book will do. If you're serious about history or looking for detailed analysis, academic perspective, or erudite writing, then you're best bet is to look elsewhere.

And if you're interested in Mark Anthony, I'd recommend People Magazine.

This book depicts the bloodthirsty Romans in complete detail. It was quite a shock to learn how cruel the Romans were to humans and animals. I reccomend it.

This is a very good book. Not a story but archeology's study. It is factual and interesting. I actually found a few things that were new to me. I have been studying Roman History for many years and to find something new, is like discovering gold. I recommend this book to anyone who loves history.

It is fortunate that it is unlikely that there will ever be spectacles similar to what took place in Rome when it was an empire. To describe what took place in the arena by using the word savagery is an understatement. Men fought and died horrible deaths for nothing more than the amusement of the crowd.
I found it very interesting to learn that the origin of the games and gladiatorial contests was based on a funeral. When a man of stature died, a munus was held to honor him. Like nearly everything that was a part of their culture, the Romans borrowed the idea of human sacrifice from the Etruscans. When a great warrior died, the Etruscans honored his accomplishments by killing captured prisoners of war. The Romans adopted this practice and made it into the greatest of spectacles.
It was also interesting to learn that a priamry reason for the games was to keep the "mob" happy. Rome was a huge city of approximately one million people and many of them were unproductive, although collectively they possessed a great deal of political power through their votes. Roman politicians kept their hold on power by literally providing "bread and circuses" to the masses, who responded by keeping their benefactors in power.
It is amazing to think that one of the forms of glue binding the Roman Empire together were the regular games that kept the people entertained. Human social mores come in many forms, this is one that worked at the time but is thankfully a thing of the past.