Dig uncovers gladiatorial ring in an ancient Cilician city of Turkey

[Viggen]

The long reach of the Roman Empire was felt in southern Turkey, where in the town of Anazarbus the Romans erected a triumphal arch after defeating a Parthian force in the first century BC and where gladiators fought wild beasts in a well-preserved stadium. Excavations at the ancient city have been under way since mid-2014. The most recent discovery is the arena or gladiators’ ring. The archaeologists, with a $335,000 grant from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, also intend to excavate a nearby amphitheater in the 4-million-square-meter (988-acre) city.

via Ancient Origins

[caldrail]

What strikes me about this sort of thing is how much regional variation in gladiatorial combat there was. The 'official' standards may have been set in Rome or Capua, but archeology in places like Ephesus has shown how classes and matches varied. I understand that in Britain there was a variation for a while where defeated fighters were beheaded. Haven't seen that sort of thing elsewhere, and the archaeologists concerned linked it to possible slaves brought in from the Balkans, which means the behaviour isn't foisted upon fighters but was allowed as part of their ethnic heritage. It's suprising how much of this sort of cosmopolitan accretion occurred - which as I've often argued - means that 'Romanisation' was not as all encompassing as usually assumed.

Edited October 11, 2015 by caldrail