Greek Olympians and Roman Gladiators: Divergent Notions of Sport, Spectacle and Violence in the Classical World

The ancient Greeks had the Olympics. The Romans had their gladiators. These events have left a disproportionate imprint on modern society’s impressions of these two ancient cultures. In this two-week forum, Associate Professor of History Angela Ziskowski will examine how competition, public entertainment and sportsmanship varied among the ancient Greeks and Romans. Week one will focus on the Greeks, explaining the influence of the ancient Near East on Greek notions of honor and competition and how the epics of Homer allow us to understand how competitive games came into being and whether they were a replacement for war. We will discuss the institutionalization of the Panhellenic games, a set of four athletic events held at the Greek-god religious sanctuaries of Olympia, Delphi, Isthmia and Nemea that created the framework for our modern Olympics. In week two, we will explore how Roman notions of sport and spectacle developed as well as diverged in fundamental ways from the Greeks and Etruscans. We will take a close look at “the bread and circuses” entertainment put on by Roman emperors of the time, including their deadly chariot-racing and bloodthirsty gladiatorial games. Throughout the forum, we will consider what constituted socially acceptable forms of sport and entertainment in these two fascinating and influential cultures.

Thursday Forum is held in Kesler Auditorium on the first floor of Hickok Hall. Each weekly session begins with registration and refreshments from 8:45-9:15 AM, followed by the lecture until 11:30 AM. The presentations blend lecture, media such as film and music, and discussion.

Admission to each four-week forum series is $40. Admission to individual lectures and each session of two- and three-week forums is $12 per week. Admission includes the lecture and morning refreshments of coffee, tea and pastries. Payment can be made in person on Thursday mornings by cash or personal check. Credit card payments can be processed by registering online in advance at www.coe.edu/thursday-forum.