Games Ancient Rome
The Games of ancient Rome , or include horse racing, athletics boxing and even theater. For Jean-Paul Thuillier "in some way, Rome is The archaic calendars
Under the republic, Rome had no Ludi se, but on certain days of celebration filled the same function. Among them, Consualia ( August 21 and December 15 ), the Equirria ( February 27 and March 14 ) and "October Equus, the horse festival on October 15.
Horse racing activities were the most popular of these games, but in this period, the contest of athletics are well documented.
He was a sports festival neighborhood. Boxing and running was also on the agenda. All five were held at the Ludi taurei Circus Flaminius. These games have only horse racing, there was a debate about whether the horses were harnessed, mounted, or both. The Ludi Saeculare were held all ages. These games were held at Champ de Mars. Chariot races were the most essential element in sports to the program of these games.
The Ludi public and annual
The magnificent Ludi Romani or games are the most prestigious sporting calendar Roman. Established by Tarquin the Elder , in 500 before our father , the Romans developed these games introducing even 16 days of "mystery plays" ( theater ) from September 4 to 19. Chariot races, boxing, athletics, wrestling was the sports program.
The Ludi pleibei during games Romans did not take place at Circus Flaminius as was long believed. They are held from November 4 to 17.
The Second Punic War marked a turning point for the Romans, who now multiply Ludi. The first major game born of this crisis are the Games of Apollo who stand for the first time in 212 BC. AD before becoming yearly from 208 BC. AD It will be held from July 6 to 12.
The Ludi megalenses become annual in 191 BC. BC They were held from April 4 to 10.
The Ludi floral become annual in 178 BC. AD They are held from April 28 to May 3
Ludi new creations in Rome coincided with the increasing importance of general, these are the games triumphant. They are related to a specific event but some are sustained and are held once each year. Here include games Sulla in 80 BC. BC from October 26 to November 1 and sets Julius Caesar , from July 20 to 30.
At the end of the Republic Rome has 76 days to Ludi its annual calendar, including 16 dedicated to the chariot races. Traditionally, games are opened by scenics, stage sets (theater), when they are included in the program. Similarly, the games end with the sporting competitions, the circences.
The Roman calendar of games was not limited to this single annual competition schedule and the opportunity such as military victories, other days of games, completed the program.
If the Games were all Roman religious origins, they clearly became more secular then even if we maintain a certain decorum religious tradition.
The Romans were very picky about equity issues in sport. We did not hesitate to take a race, especially at the racetrack, even add extra days of competition at the end of the Ludi program if the need arises. Cases of this type are fairly numerous.
The Ludi under the Empire
Multiplying the number of days in Ludi is the first concept to be learned from the history of the Games under the Empire. It goes into effect 76 days annual games at the end of the Republic to 175 in the mid-fourth century. 64 days were devoted to chariot races with 24 races per day. In fact, the Roman can now "from morning to evening, attend sporting events of all kinds.
Christians protest very early (early second century) against the holding of Ludi. These protests do not prevent the multiplication of these games. The " New Rome "continues until the end of the twelfth century, the tradition of chariot races.
The games against history
Juvenal , Roman intellectuals hostile to the sports movement, forging a phrase that became one of the photographs of Roman civilization: Panem and circuses "Bread and circuses". We are in the early second century AD, Christians taking on board this term to point the finger at the "passion" sport for them incompatible with Christianity. A copious literature exists on this topic. One finds this philosophy into the writings of French historian Carcopino dealing broadly Romans lazy welfare.
The French historian Paul Veyne published in 1976 his famous Bread and Circus, historical sociology of political pluralism. It highlights the evergetism Roman subtle means of wealth redistribution established in Rome and the Empire and debunks many shots. Alas, many still refer to this book without having read it, to support the thesis of Juvenal.
The gap created by Veyne however, allows the emergence of a school of historians emerged from the Roman shots before the Second World War. The "games" are now examined through sports, without neglecting the sociological approach, because the sport is clearly one of the pillars of the Roman.
See also
Related articles
- Chronology of sport in ancient Rome , ancient Games
- Naumachia and aquatic games of the Roman Empire
- Roman Circus and the Circus Maximus
- Chariot race
- Gladiator and the famous Spartacus
Bibliography
- (In) JH Humphrey, Roman Circuses. Arenas for truck racing, Berkeley, 1986.
- (En) Jean-Paul Thuillier, Sport in the Ancient Rome, Paris, Wandering, 1997.
- (En) Jean-Paul Thuillier, athletic games in the Etruscan civilization, Rome, 1985.
- (En) Paul Veyne , Bread and Circus. Historical sociology of political pluralism, Paris, 1976.
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