To what extent did the lives of slaves in the Roman Empire depend on the
attitude of their owners. (12m)
GLADIATORS
Being a gladiator was dangerous, this is because their sole job was to
fight, often to death for the entertainment of the crowds. However, there
were compensations for this, especially when taking into account the
comparisons with other type of slaves in the RE. Gladiator could gain fame
and then subsequently respect and prestige if they were to fight against
risky lions and strong men. Through this they could have gained their
freedom through the admiration of the crowd, and the master’s approval.
In addition, being around one’s trainer who tended to be their master
allowed them to develop a better relationship with their masters who fed
them plenty and provided them with the resources they required to make
them look like a perfect spectacle of a gladiator. However, in analysis,
being a gladiator slave also proved some disadvantages such as being in
tough conditions in front of the crowd and fighting practically fatal animals
like lions and bears who could mean their demise. This is proved by the
fact that Gladiatorial Fights became more popular after the Republic, the
fact that Emperor Vespasian built the famous Colosseum which held
50,000 spectators demonstrates how important of a trademark these
gladiators were and effectively became the model of Empirical rule.
Spartacus was also a gladiator slave who was trained just outside of Rome
in Capua, however the fact that he rebelled against the Roman system
shows clear discontent within the gladiatorial slavery trade. 150,000
slaves joined his campaign un 73BC, until Roman General Crassus finally
put an end to the revolt, crucifying 6,000 of those slaves involved in the
revolt and placing them on the path to the main road into Rome as
imagery and a warning to other slaves. In conclusion, this shows that
despite the Gladiator slaves were treated WAY better than agricultural
slaves who did not get their food and drink, they were subject to the
inevitable gate of their demise, fighting against impossible to win against
creatures and being subject to cruel physical and mentally draining
training that ultimately makes it clear that Gladiator slaves were treated
terribly by their owners, despite the owner and the gladiator being very
close to each other.
attitude of their owners. (12m)
GLADIATORS
Being a gladiator was dangerous, this is because their sole job was to
fight, often to death for the entertainment of the crowds. However, there
were compensations for this, especially when taking into account the
comparisons with other type of slaves in the RE. Gladiator could gain fame
and then subsequently respect and prestige if they were to fight against
risky lions and strong men. Through this they could have gained their
freedom through the admiration of the crowd, and the master’s approval.
In addition, being around one’s trainer who tended to be their master
allowed them to develop a better relationship with their masters who fed
them plenty and provided them with the resources they required to make
them look like a perfect spectacle of a gladiator. However, in analysis,
being a gladiator slave also proved some disadvantages such as being in
tough conditions in front of the crowd and fighting practically fatal animals
like lions and bears who could mean their demise. This is proved by the
fact that Gladiatorial Fights became more popular after the Republic, the
fact that Emperor Vespasian built the famous Colosseum which held
50,000 spectators demonstrates how important of a trademark these
gladiators were and effectively became the model of Empirical rule.
Spartacus was also a gladiator slave who was trained just outside of Rome
in Capua, however the fact that he rebelled against the Roman system
shows clear discontent within the gladiatorial slavery trade. 150,000
slaves joined his campaign un 73BC, until Roman General Crassus finally
put an end to the revolt, crucifying 6,000 of those slaves involved in the
revolt and placing them on the path to the main road into Rome as
imagery and a warning to other slaves. In conclusion, this shows that
despite the Gladiator slaves were treated WAY better than agricultural
slaves who did not get their food and drink, they were subject to the
inevitable gate of their demise, fighting against impossible to win against
creatures and being subject to cruel physical and mentally draining
training that ultimately makes it clear that Gladiator slaves were treated
terribly by their owners, despite the owner and the gladiator being very
close to each other.
