Guest spartacus Report post Posted March 3, 2005 Just supposing you could go back to Ancient Rome, bearing in mind you have the knowledge of Rome and its ways as you have now and you were offered a free ticket to the Coliseum to watch a days "entertainment" which included Gladitorial duels to the death, executions, animals slaughtered and people fed to lions etc would you go or would your conscience make you tear up your ticket? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moonlapse 1 Report post Posted March 3, 2005 If I could go back in time, I would want to see anything I possibly could. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest spartacus Report post Posted March 3, 2005 Moonlapse Would that include a visit to the coliseum? Stop dodging the issue! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Primus Pilus 10 Report post Posted March 3, 2005 I would absolutely, without question, go to the games. While, yes, there were executions and death, the vast majority of gladiatoral combat did not end in death. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest spartacus Report post Posted March 3, 2005 Ok PP, let me put it another way! If the games were held now, in our times would you still go? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Primus Pilus 10 Report post Posted March 3, 2005 Hmm, I do attend the modern equivelants... ie American Football here, Soccer for Europeans, and every other sport on the fringe and in between. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest spartacus Report post Posted March 3, 2005 Modern sportsman are not killed! So, my question still stands! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Primus Pilus 10 Report post Posted March 3, 2005 Yeah, hell I'd go. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest spartacus Report post Posted March 4, 2005 so PP, you could sit there quite happily whilst lions ripped apart women and children! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pompeius magnus 2 Report post Posted March 4, 2005 Spartacus you forgetting some important realties. First, that back in Roman times it was completly accepted. Paterfamilias could kill there sons if they had just cause to, such as him disagreeing with him, so it is no wounder that these games had men killing each other. Also it is no different than our executing of criminals and the death penalty. Most of these gladiators were criminals, in the case of Spartacus who was a ditcher of military. On the other side, in our culture today death is not accepted. If my father decided I had angered him and he kills me, he goes away for a long time. Football, like PP said, and rugbee and soccer are all to us what the gladiator games were to the romans as the modern stadium is off the roman design, which is based in part from the greek design. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
longbow 0 Report post Posted March 4, 2005 If i could go back to Rome i would watch the gladiators,watching skilled men duel is something i would like to see.When defencless people or animals are being killed i would just leave and go see something else. L Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Primus Pilus 10 Report post Posted March 4, 2005 so PP, you could sit there quite happily whilst lions ripped apart women and children! No, I'd go to see the gladiator games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moonlapse 1 Report post Posted March 4, 2005 If I could go back in time, I would want to see anything I possibly could. That means ANYTHING. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fatboy 0 Report post Posted March 4, 2005 I'd be there front row centre, baying for blood with the rest of the plebs.( when in Rome........ ) I might take some strategic toilet breaks though, if there were any particularly gruesome executions that day, cos they'd be hard to watch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scaevola 0 Report post Posted March 4, 2005 Well, it seems like you are aiming for a morality question here, so I'll give my answer. Go back to ancient times and watch a full day's games, executions, etc.? Yes I would, with probably only a little guilt and remorse. By and large, I would remember that they were dead and buried almost 2000 years before I was born. Regardless of what I do or don't watch, they're just as dead. For a confirmation (though undocumentable) of activities that occured both in the arena and in the stands and hallways of the Coliseum , an opportunity like this would not be missed. Modern day bloodsports (boxing, full contact martial arts, fighting championships, etc.)? I haven't watched them in years. I used to find them entertaining, now they seem pointless and mildly offensive. I love contact sports (playing and watching from the stands, not TV) like rugby, american football, golf (hey, watch "Happy Gilmore" ), but bloodsports are not my bag. I also no longer support the death penalty (too many mistakes coupled with not enough punishment). So I would not attend a modern version of the games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites