The Rise Of Gladiatorial Combat In Rome — страница 5

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continued to be put forward until the eve of the Middle Ages, although it started to become lame and inhumane. Another purpose present in the minds of Rome’s rulers was the desire that potentially unruly and dangerous city population should be amused and kept quiet. They should be given entertainment that they wanted, no matter how disgusting if might be. The games gradually lost its original intentions and connections to the earlier funeral games. Once defenseless human beings are thrown to wild animals, the original purpose is lost, the purpose now is blood-thirsty spectators viewing inhumane, unjust executions. (2:87) The new religion however ended them for good. With the rise of emperor Constantine and Christianity came the fall of the gladiatorial spectacles. In AD 326,

Constantine abolished gladiators’ games altogether. He also stated that all criminals who would have in the past have been enrolled for the games must in the future be condemned to forced labor in the mines instead. By the end of the fourth century, gladiatorial shows had disappeared from the Eastern Empire. (2:87) Bibliography 1. Cowell, F. Everyday Life in Ancient Rome. London: B.T Batsford Ltd., 1961. 2. Dining, M. A History of Physical Education: Ancient Rome. Toronto: Captus Press, 1987. 3. Grant, M. The World of Rome. London: Trinity Press, 1960. 4. Hopkins, K Murderous Games. History Today v33 16-22 1983. 5. Harris, H. Sport in Greece and Rome. New York: Cornell University Press, 1972. 6. Hopkins, K. Death and Renewal. New York: Cambridge University Press. 1983. 7. Jory,

E Gladiators in the Theatre. Classical Quarterly v36 537-9 1986. 8. Koestler, A. The Gladiators. New York: Macmillan, 1947. 9. Scullard, H. Festival and Ceremonies of the Roman Empire. New York: Cornell University Press. 1981 10. Whyte-Mellville, G. A Tale of Rome and Judea The Gladiators. New York: Longmans Green, 1989. 11. Mattingly, H. Roman Imperial Civilization. London: Edward Arnold publication. 1959 12. Weirdmann, T. Emperors and Gladiators. London: Routledge Press, 1992 13. Yonah, M Illustrated Enclylopedia of the Classical World. New York: Harper and Roe Pub, 1975. 14. Wilkonson, L. The Roman Experience, Anchor Press, 1975. 15. Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia, Softkey Multimedia, 1996.