Rhila#8

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Games
Gladiators:
-bloody,brutal,popular
-large cheering crowd
-games took place in amphitheaters
-gladiators would be sent to the arena to fight to death
-most gladiators were condemned criminals, slaves,prisoners of war, others were just freedmen who chose to fight
-five types
Mirmillones:heavily armed, wore helmets decorated with fish

Thracians:carried just a shield, more quick

Retiarii:armed with just a net

Samnites: used a sword, shield, and helmet

Bestiarii: fought wild animals

-some successful gladiators became very rich and famous

Chariot races:
-popular for the Roman masses
-less violent than the gladiators but still very dangerous
-took place in the Circus Maximus
-races were rough, lasted seven laps and included as many as 12 chariots at any one time
-chariots had to be light which made them very dangerous
-drivers were usually slaves or freedmen
-organized into four main teams: red, white, blue, green

Sources:
www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/gladiators.html
www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/chariots.html

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