Gladiators: Bloodsport of the Colosseum

Ridley Scott's Gladiator brought new passion to the tired genre of sword and sandal films. But how accurately did it depict a Roman gladiator's life? Gladiators: Bloodsport of the Colosseum attempts to fill the information gaps about the men who were bought and sold like racehorses. Gladiators (the name derived from an ancient word, meaning "short sword") originated in Tuscany, where they initially performed at ceremonial rituals in the streets, before later being moved to arena games. Romans prized courage and despised weakness, and the games symbolized values necessary to maintain an empire. Indeed, generals would sometimes employ gladiators as elite warriors in crucial battles; otherwise they led a miserable life which included floggings, cramped cells, and precious little time for leisure. Held as investments and property, a lucky few battled their way to freedom, a handful became cult figures, and the blood of a gladiator was thought to cure epilepsy. Patrician figures would challenge gladiators in rigged marathons of staggering excess as tyrants depleted their treasuries and scoured the far-flung corners of their empire for exotic animals to satisfy the public's demand for bizarre spectacle. Eventually, Christianity triggered a general revulsion against the "sport," and the gladiator faded into history. However, the documentary notes the current craze for "extreme" sports might indicate the era of bloodsports never really ended. In spite of the usual, corny footage from unidentified toga epics, this video really does tell viewers all they really need to know about gladiators. [Note: the DVD includes extra segments on arms and weapons, Hollywood gladiators, and a look at the Colosseum.] Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)