To Love Again - Bertrice Small [138]
“That is good. Ah, yes, dear girl, I can see you will not be lured by the siren’s song sung at the court. You are too sensible. Now let us return to the business of immortalizing you,” he said, chuckling. “You have an outrageously lush form for such a practical woman.”
“Tell me about these games you are so eager to return to the city for, Arcadius,” Cailin said after she had resumed her pose. “I thought there were only games in May on the day of commemoration. I did not know they were held at other times. Will there be chariot races? I did enjoy the races.”
“There are games held several times during the year,” he answered her, “but these particular games are being sponsored by Justin Gabras to celebrate his marriage to Aspar’s former wife, Flacilla Strabo. He was unable to schedule them sooner because in the spring everything is concentrated on the May games. Then the weather grew too hot in the summer. So Justin Gabras planned his games to coincide with the sixth-month anniversary of his marriage to Flacilla. There will be racing in the morning and gladiators in the afternoon. Gabras, I am told, has paid for death matches.”
“I have never seen gladiators,” Cailin said. “They fight with swords and shields, don’t they? What are death matches?”
“Well, dear girl,” Arcadius began, “I see that this is another area of your education I shall have to fill in for you. Gladiatorial bouts first began in ancient Campania and Etruria, from whence our ancestors sprang. The first gladiators were slaves, made to battle each other to the death for their masters’ amusement. Such matches came to Rome eventually, but were held only during the funeral games for distinguished men. They were rare for many years. Then slowly gladiatorial bouts began being sponsored privately, and the emperor Augustus funded a few of what he called ‘extraordinary shows.’ Eventually the gladiators were scheduled regularly at the public games in December on the Saturnalia, while politicians, and others wishing the public’s support, supplied free gladiatorial combats at other times. The populace loved the excitement and the blood lust of such games.
“In the beginning gladiators were captives taken in war who far preferred death to becoming slaves. They were trained fighters. Soon, however, with the Roman peace imposed over most of the world, the supply of captives dwindled and it became necessary to train men who were not soldiers. Many criminals were sentenced to become gladiators, but even so, there was not enough of a supply to fill the now great demand. Many innocent men were accused of petty offenses and condemned to the ring. Early Christians were sacrificed because there were not enough criminals or captives to be found. When there were not enough men available, women and, yes, even small children were sent into the ring to fight.”
“How awful!” Cailin cried, but Arcadius continued, unmoved.
“There were schools for gladiators in Capua, Praeneste, Rome, and Pompeii, as well as other cities. Some schools were owned by wealthy nobles so they might train their own fighters, but others were the property of men who dealt in gladiators. The schools were strictly run because their purpose was to ensure a steady supply of competent, effective fighters. The teachers were tough, but they trained their charges well, and carefully. Diet was monitored. Each day held a round of gymnastics, and lessons from weapons experts.
“Eventually, however, it became impossible to obtain enough students to train even from among captives and criminals. Today’s gladiators are free men who have chosen the life for themselves.”
“I cannot imagine why,” Cailin replied. “It sounds terrible. But what of the weapons they use, Arcadius? And how do they fight?”
“In pairs, usually,” he said, “although in the past gladiatorial combats have pitted masses of men against masses of men. Usually few were left standing. Professional gladiators are divided into three groups: Samnites, who are heavily armed; Thracians, who are lightly armed; and there are net fighters. The net man’s weapons