| Vacation Under the
Volcano Chapter 3 "Gladiators!" Activities |
 |
| Vacation Under the
Volcano Chapter 3 "Gladiators!" Activities |
|
| The Romans believed in many different gods
and goddesses. They believed that each god had a specific power.
For each of the gods and goddesses the Romans built temples. These temples were filled with beautiful treasures. Priests looked after the buildings and took part in the religious ceremonies. When people wanted to thank a god or goddess they brought gifts of animals for sacrifice to the temple. |
Print the worksheet at the Random House web site called Greek and Roman Gods Matching Game
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse/teachers/pdf/GreekRomans.pdf
Dress like the Roman gladiators did.
Gladiators were prisoners or slaves who were forced to fight each other, against professional fighters, or against animals. They usually fought to the death. The crowd decided by booing or cheering if the wounded gladiator should live or die. The emperor would give a thumbs up or thumbs down. The thumbs down sign meant death to the losing gladiator. Successful gladiators became heros. Some were even set free.
To make the fights more interesting gladiators used a variety of weapons. A net and a fisherman's spear or trident were used along with the more common weapons such as daggers or swords.
The biggest arena in the city of Rome was the Colosseum. It could seat up to 50,000 people. The Colosseum was made of concrete. The concrete was poured into large wooden molds. The molds were in the shape of large arches.
Wear a simple tunic with a leather belt. Top make the sword flatten an empty wrapping paper tube. Cover the blade part with duct tape. Use black electricians tape to make the handle. Have a mock gladiator fight.
Photo taken 2001 with Webview/Livescope
The Colosseum
When Vespasian became the Emperor of Rome in 69 A. D. he promised to make a difference. He did not want to live the rich life that Nero had. Vespasian tore down Nero's Golden House and turned the land into a public park. He also tore down Nero's giant gold statue called the Colossus. With the money from the statue's gold Vespasian built an amphitheater. He called it the Colosseum after the statue.
The Colosseum was a large center for entertainment. It took ten years to build of marble and limestone. The Colosseum was the largest building of its kind. It could seat 45,000 people. This is where the Romans gathered to watch the gladiators. During the Colosseum's opening ceremonies in A.D. 80, events were held for 100 days in which hundreds of animals and 2,000 gladiators were killed.
The Colosseum was oval shaped. It was 160 feet tall, and had four stories of windows, arches, and columns.
The Colosseum was 160 feet tall, and had four stories of windows, arches, and columns. Spectators sat according to social class inside the Colosseum. 
Photo courtesy and ©1997 Leo Curran, Maecenas: Images of Ancient Greece and Rome
Photo courtesy and ©1997 Leo Curran, Maecenas: Images of Ancient Greece and Rome
Women and the poor sat on the top tier. A large awning could be stretched over the top to keep out the hot sun. A wooden floor covered the chambers where the gladiators and animals were kept.
Most events lasted all day. They began in the morning with comedic contests and exotic animal shows. Professional gladiators fought animals or each other in the afternoon. Gladiators used nets, swords, tridents, spears, or firebrands. Gladiator fights were outlawed by Emperor Honorius in A.D. 404. Animal fighting combats continued for another hundred years.
In the times of Ancient Rome very few people had baths in their homes. People enjoyed going to the public bathhouse. The bathhouse cost very little to get in, so people used them often. The men and the women both used the bathhouse, but at different times during the day. The bathhouse was not only a place for washing, but a good place to meet friends or do business. Some people enjoyed going to the bath for exercises, walks through the gardens, or reading.
The Romans didn't use soap. They cleaned themselves by covering their bodies with oil. Then they scraped the oil off with a special scraper called a strigil.Strigils were make from bone or metal. Next the Romans enjoyed several pools. Each of these pools had different temperatures. Bathers went from one bath to another.
Bathhouses were built all over the Roman Empire. The most impressive one were found in the city of Rome. They were decorated with marble and statues. Some of the most splendid Roman bathhouses were built by the emperors Caracalla and Diocletian.
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