A special exhibition about Roman gladiators is on display at Moesgaard Museum, Aarhus.
The exhibition "Heroes of the Colosseum" runs from April to September 2016.
The exhibition "Heroes of the Colosseum" runs from April to September 2016.
Welcome to the show!
A Roman sword.
A gladiator sandal.
A gladiator helmet.
A bust of Vespasian, who ruled the Roman Empire for ten years (69-79).
While emperor, Vespasian began the construction of the large amphitheatre that is known today as the Colosseum. Construction took almost ten years, from 72 to 80. It was dedicated in 80 during the reign of his older son Titus.
The exhibition includes a special movie.
We are inside the Coloseeum, watching the gladiators.
The gladiators are standing in the arena in front of the Roman emperor.
During the night the arena is cleaned up for the games that will take place the next day.
The movie, which runs for 20 minutes, is shown on a giant screen.
As soon as it is finished, it starts again.
The beast-hunter: man against animal.
The lion and the man.
A pair of gladiators.
There were several types of gladiators, including the following:
bestiarius
murmillo (or myrmillo)
provocator
retiarius
secutor
thraex
Each type was defined by a specific set of weapons and equipment for defence. Gladiators fought in pairs. In most cases, two types of gladiators would be paired to fight against each other. In this way the result was less predictable, and therefore the match was more interesting and more entertaining.
Another pair of gladiators.
In the background you can see the man and the lion.
A third pair of gladiators.
This ancient wall painting from Paestum is one of the earliest depictions of "gladiators" in battle.
Detail of a polychrome mosaic which shows several scenes from an amphitheatre.
Another detail of the polychrome mosaic: gladiators in battle.
A monochrome mosaic.
Below and to the left: two men and a wild animal.
On the right and above: a geometric pattern.
The two men and the wild animal.
The Latin letter V next to the beast-hunter (on the right) shows that he was the winner.
The Greek letter theta (a cross in a circle) above the wild animal means death.
The mosaic is from AD 158.
In that year Antoninus Pius celebrated his vicennalia, i.e. he began his twentieth year as emperor.
He had succeeded Hadrian in AD 138.
This painting was painted on the façade of the house which belonged to Arctus Anicetus.
It shows the amphitheatre in Pompeii during the riots that took place in AD 59.
Gladiator fans from Pompeii clashed with gladiator fans from the neighbouring town Nuceria.
The riots are described by Tacitus in his work Annales, book XIV, chapter 17.
Because of these riots, Pompeii was not allowed to stage gladiator games for ten years.
Detail of the above.
Three Roman coins:
On the left = a sestertius minted by Vespasian (69-79)
In the middle = a sestertius minted by Titus (79-81)
On the right = a sestertius minted by Domitian (81-96)
A Roman shield (a modern copy).
Another Roman shield (also a modern copy).
Roman helmets are for sale in the museum shop.
These modern copies are quite expensive!
One of the Roman helmets on display in the shop.
Another Roman helmet on display in the shop.
* * *
Go to the next installment:
Gladiators at Moesgaard Museum (2016) - part two
* * *
A gladiator helmet.
A bust of Vespasian, who ruled the Roman Empire for ten years (69-79).
While emperor, Vespasian began the construction of the large amphitheatre that is known today as the Colosseum. Construction took almost ten years, from 72 to 80. It was dedicated in 80 during the reign of his older son Titus.
The exhibition includes a special movie.
We are inside the Coloseeum, watching the gladiators.
The gladiators are standing in the arena in front of the Roman emperor.
During the night the arena is cleaned up for the games that will take place the next day.
The movie, which runs for 20 minutes, is shown on a giant screen.
As soon as it is finished, it starts again.
The beast-hunter: man against animal.
The lion and the man.
A pair of gladiators.
There were several types of gladiators, including the following:
bestiarius
murmillo (or myrmillo)
provocator
retiarius
secutor
thraex
Each type was defined by a specific set of weapons and equipment for defence. Gladiators fought in pairs. In most cases, two types of gladiators would be paired to fight against each other. In this way the result was less predictable, and therefore the match was more interesting and more entertaining.
Another pair of gladiators.
In the background you can see the man and the lion.
A third pair of gladiators.
This ancient wall painting from Paestum is one of the earliest depictions of "gladiators" in battle.
Detail of a polychrome mosaic which shows several scenes from an amphitheatre.
Another detail of the polychrome mosaic: gladiators in battle.
A monochrome mosaic.
Below and to the left: two men and a wild animal.
On the right and above: a geometric pattern.
The two men and the wild animal.
The Latin letter V next to the beast-hunter (on the right) shows that he was the winner.
The Greek letter theta (a cross in a circle) above the wild animal means death.
The mosaic is from AD 158.
In that year Antoninus Pius celebrated his vicennalia, i.e. he began his twentieth year as emperor.
He had succeeded Hadrian in AD 138.
This painting was painted on the façade of the house which belonged to Arctus Anicetus.
It shows the amphitheatre in Pompeii during the riots that took place in AD 59.
Gladiator fans from Pompeii clashed with gladiator fans from the neighbouring town Nuceria.
The riots are described by Tacitus in his work Annales, book XIV, chapter 17.
Because of these riots, Pompeii was not allowed to stage gladiator games for ten years.
Detail of the above.
Three Roman coins:
On the left = a sestertius minted by Vespasian (69-79)
In the middle = a sestertius minted by Titus (79-81)
On the right = a sestertius minted by Domitian (81-96)
A Roman shield (a modern copy).
Another Roman shield (also a modern copy).
Roman helmets are for sale in the museum shop.
These modern copies are quite expensive!
One of the Roman helmets on display in the shop.
Another Roman helmet on display in the shop.
* * *
Go to the next installment:
Gladiators at Moesgaard Museum (2016) - part two
* * *
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