GhostOfClayton Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 What did anyone think to "Gladiators: Back From the Dead" on Channel 4 last night? An excellent documentary, I thought. Some fascinating insights into gladitorial life (and death). I'd never come across the Charon character finishing off wounded Gladiators with a hammer. . . . and all that was just from 6 skeletons. 74 more to go! If you didn't catch it, I'm sure it'll be on 4OD. If you saw it, and enyoyed it, can I recomend a visit to the amphitheatre in N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medusa Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 What did anyone think to "Gladiators: Back From the Dead" on Channel 4 last night? An excellent documentary, I thought. Some fascinating insights into gladitorial life (and death). I'd never come across the Charon character finishing off wounded Gladiators with a hammer. . . . and all that was just from 6 skeletons. 74 more to go! If you didn't catch it, I'm sure it'll be on 4OD. If you saw it, and enyoyed it, can I recomend a visit to the amphitheatre in N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted June 16, 2010 Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 The program claimed that these skeletons were the first complete remains identified as gladiators. This is not true. A comprehensive set of remains has been uncovered in Ephesus, Turkey. What was underlined by Channel 4's documentary was the physical distress of a gladiators lifestyle, especially that of those final moments. It worth stressing that. There's a part of the human psyche that identifies with violence. We sometimes see gladiatorial combat as something approaching a noble profession, and certainly, the mystique it generates reflects the very same attitudes the Romans themselves attached to it, though in fairness to them they were a society that tolerated a higher level of violence than we do. Nonetheless whilst the arena provided an exciting competition between fighters much the same as we view modern boxing, there was also the 'horror' element of seeing a man cut down, and I notice the modern popularity of blood and gore in films designed to frighten their audience. We enjoy a sort of virtual killing field enveloped in a dark mythology of its own. The Romans played it out for real to demonstrate martial virtue, cultural dominance, and their assumed mastery over nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostOfClayton Posted June 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 Did anyone here record this program on DVD? If so could you send me a copy. Please send me a PM. I've got it (PM sent to you, Medusa). If anyone else needs a copy, let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 It is a fascinating documentary. I didn't catch it on TV, but I did see it up on Youtube. Seeing those skeletons did bring the reality of the Gladiatorial games to the fore. I don't read much on Gladiators, but seeing the bones did remind me that that these were real flesh and blood people being killed for entertainment. A rather sobering thought, but something that wasn't reflected in the documentary itself, considering the '300' influenced action sequences they inserted into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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