Lecture 19.Showtime!Spectacle and Festival
I.Importance of Spectacle
A.
Fronto El. 17
B. Venues: Theater (semicircle) drama; amphitheater
(circle) combats / hunting; circus (ellipse)
racing
C.
Love / Hate:
1.
Skittishness: 1st Theater = 55 BC; 1st Amphitheater 29 BC
2.
Addiction: Nero; Children’s mosaic
II. Sociology of Spectacle
A.
Political Control
Cicero (Pro Sest. 106): elections, assemblies,
games
B.
Communication
Obelisk
base of Theodosius; Dio in the Circus
in 196
C.
Social Control:Acting out the glory of Rome
III. Theater
A. Atellana Stock characters (Maccius, Bucco,
etc...) and rustic plots
B.
Mimus: reference to public affairs
C.
Pantomimus: dance (solo ballet)
IV. Amphitheater: gladiator (gladius = sword)
A.
Origins and developments
-Funeral games; Militarism; Imperial control (Augustan
regulation)
-81
AD Flavian Amphitheater (Colosseum) c. 70,000
B.
Gladiators
1. Ave imperator, morituri te salutant (Hail
emperor, those who are about to die salute you)
-condemned criminals, prisoners of war, slaves, volunteers
2. Kinds of Gladiators: Samnite
(heavy armed, short sword); Gallic
=murmillo (“fish-face”:light armed, long sword); Retiarius
(net and trident)
3. Popularity: military regimen; superhunks; money (up
to 1,000,000 HS / fight)
4. Death toll: 75% die in first three battle; after
five years, freedom and prestige
C. Beast Hunters (bestiarii): mass slaughter of animals (Commodus); Zliten
Mosaic
V. Circus
A.
Origins and development
-Greek
and Etruscan horse races; religion
-Julius
Caesar and Augustus first to build up circus area
B.
Factions:
Red, White, Blue, Green
Charioteers
heroized:Diocles
C. A Day at the Races:
-Circus Maximus = 580 x 79 Meters; c. 200,000 spectators;
7 laps (8 km); mappa; dolphin and eggs (removed after each lap)
-Leather helmet, whip, knife; violence
D.
Ben Hur (MGM 1959, Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd)
