User:Boozerss/sandbox

Gladiator combat was originally orchestrated to honor the dead. “The Romans called it a munus, a Latin word that means ‘duty’, ‘gift’ or ‘tribute’, essentially a performance for, or a gift given to, the dead”. Gladiator combat can be recorded back to 264 BC, when the first gladiator contest was at the funeral for a Roman aristocrat D. Junius Brutus Pera. The contests are typically organized by the dead individual’s relatives, so in this case the performance was organized by Pera’s two sons in order to honor him. Unfortunately, as time went on, the people (Romans) demanded more brutality and the primary meaning of munus dwindled and became known for the bloody and ruthless part of the performance. Training to become a gladiator was taken very seriously; spectators wanted to see gladiators who were experts at their profession and could put on a thrilling and electrifying fight. Gladiators in training were taught ‘the discipline of killing,’ which involved concepts such as skill, discipline, and art. These factors enabled a gladiator to kill. During fighting drills, novice trainees were given a wooden sword and shield. Eventually, in later training that was slightly more advanced, gladiators would engage in practice fights with each other. Lastly, at the most advanced stage of training, gladiators practiced with each other using real weapons, typically with a gladius or spatha sword. Gladiators, on the day of battle, would wear a loincloth fastened to their waist, leather pads for both their arms and legs, a helmet, and of course, the sword and shield they preferred. The battle commenced, and each would dodge, thrust, and stab at each other in a desire to kill the other. In the end, the victor would race around the arena in celebration. Gladiator combat, executions, mock battles, animal hunts, and chariot races were all prominent events that took place in the Colosseum and would be advertised weeks, even months, ahead of time to build anticipation and eagerness. These events did not occur on a daily, so when they were announced to the public, it was everyone's top priority to attend. Gladiator combat alone lasted from 105 BCE to 404 CE and it is estimated that 400,000 people and 1,000,000 animals died within the walls of the Colosseum.