I thank thee for stopping by and browsing. This blog was meant to provide images and audio samples of Power Metal compact discs that I am selling.
All CDs are in excellent condition as I do not use the original discs for personal listening.
Ideally, I will meet and hand you the item(s) personally. Depending on location & situation, I shall go to your place for the transaction.
For inquiry/purchase, please mail me at thy_firdaus@yahoo.com.
Thank you. Firdaus
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Gladiators Of Rome
Roman gladiatorial combat originated as a religious event. The first Roman gladiatorial games were held in 246 BCE by Marcus and Decimus Brutus in honor of their father, Junius Brutus, as a munus or funeral gift for the dead. From their religious origins, gladiatorial games evolved into defining symbols of Roman culture and became an integral part of that culture for nearly seven centuries.
In general, gladiators were condemned criminals, prisoners of war, or slaves bought for the purpose of gladiatorial combat by a lanista, or owner of gladiators. Professional gladiators were free men who volunteered to participate in the games.Condemned criminals, the damnati ad mortem who committed a capital crime, entered the gladiatorial arena weaponless. Those criminals who did not commit a capital crime were trained in private gladiator schools, ludi. At these private and imperial schools, gladiators became specialist in combat techniques that disabled and captured their opponents rather than killed them quickly. Criminals trained in gladiator schools fought with the weapons and armor of their choice and could earn their freedom if they survived three to five years of combat. Though a gladiator was only required to fight two or three times a year, few survived the three to five years.
Gladiators fought in arenas, the most famous of which was the Colosseum built by the Flavians. When one opponent is wounded, the crowd would typically shout "habet, hoc habet," he has had it. An opponent who felt he was defeated would raise his left hand with one finger extended as a request for mercy.
If the decision was for death, the defeated opponent would ceremoniously grasp the thigh of his conqueror who would slay the loser by stabbing his sword into the neck. The dead body was removed by costumed attendants,one dressed as the ferry man Charon and the other as Mercury. Charon struck the dead body with a hammer and Mercury poked with a hot iron disguised as his wand to assure the loser was dead. The winner would receive a symbol of their victory, such as golden bowl, crown or gold coin, along with a palm leaf symbolizing victory.
Roman gladiatorial combat originated as a religious event. The first Roman gladiatorial games were held in 246 BCE by Marcus and Decimus Brutus in honor of their father, Junius Brutus, as a munus or funeral gift for the dead. From their religious origins, gladiatorial games evolved into defining symbols of Roman culture and became an integral part of that culture for nearly seven centuries.
In general, gladiators were condemned criminals, prisoners of war, or slaves bought for the purpose of gladiatorial combat by a lanista, or owner of gladiators. Professional gladiators were free men who volunteered to participate in the games. Condemned criminals, the damnati ad mortem who committed a capital crime, entered the gladiatorial arena weaponless. Those criminals who did not commit a capital crime were trained in private gladiator schools, ludi. At these private and imperial schools, gladiators became specialist in combat techniques that disabled and captured their opponents rather than killed them quickly. Criminals trained in gladiator schools fought with the weapons and armor of their choice and could earn their freedom if they survived three to five years of combat. Though a gladiator was only required to fight two or three times a year, few survived the three to five years.
Gladiators fought in arenas, the most famous of which was the Colosseum built by the Flavians. When one opponent is wounded, the crowd would typically shout "habet, hoc habet," he has had it. An opponent who felt he was defeated would raise his left hand with one finger extended as a request for mercy.
If the decision was for death, the defeated opponent would ceremoniously grasp the thigh of his conqueror who would slay the loser by stabbing his sword into the neck. The dead body was removed by costumed attendants,one dressed as the ferry man Charon and the other as Mercury. Charon struck the dead body with a hammer and Mercury poked with a hot iron disguised as his wand to assure the loser was dead. The winner would receive a symbol of their victory, such as golden bowl, crown or gold coin, along with a palm leaf symbolizing victory.
