Primus Pilus Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 "Roll up! Roll up! Roll Up! There will be a magnificent spectacle at the amphitheatre today, and you mustn't miss it! Magerius is giving it. Of course, you all know Magerius who has just finished his term of office as mayor. He's a pompous old ass but he thinks the world of himself and he's going to lay on a big spectacle and he is paying through the nose for it, and he wants everyone to know how generous he has been." "He is bringing in the Telegenii. You've heard of the Telegenii - they are the best theatrical producers in North Africa. They have all the best beasts and all the best hunters too. Today they have for your delight four leopards, all home grown and well trained. They are called Crispinus, Luxurius, Victor - who of course is going to be conquered - and then, Ho! Hum! there's Romanus, 'The Roman' who is going to bite the dust at the hands of a hunter. And then he's got four of his best hunters, Hilarinus, Bullarius, Spittara, who always hunts on stilts, and finally the champion, Mamertinus. It's going to be a great spectacle, so hurry along to the amphitheatre. Who's going to win - the beasts or the hunters?... Current Archaeology Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 "Roll up! Roll up! Roll Up! There will be a magnificent spectacle at the amphitheatre today, and you mustn't miss it! Magerius is giving it. ........ Current Archaeology Thanks for posting the article - it brings back a few happy memories:) Having seen the mosaic in the flesh it really is quite spectacular and worth the trip to the museum in Sousse just to see it, let alone the other odds and ends that they have there. Some are very odds and ends not to mention almost completely without written descriptions in Arabic or French let alone in English. I did take a couple of shots there myself including one of the cnetral section that was cropped in the current world Archaeology article c/f: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...m&album=133 When I get time I hope to put a few more miscellaneous shots from Tunisian museums in the same gallery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted February 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 "Roll up! Roll up! Roll Up! There will be a magnificent spectacle at the amphitheatre today, and you mustn't miss it! Magerius is giving it. ........ Current Archaeology Thanks for posting the article - it brings back a few happy memories:) It's definately a fun article... mixing the interpretation of ancient performance art with archaeology... really well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 There must have been some variation in the manner spectacles were staged (variety was important to roman entertainment as well as tradition) and since it was expected that a wealthy man should be generous (something that survived in italian culture for a long time) the sort of event suggested isn't so suprising. There's no suggestion of venue that I can see and although I don't read latin, I see no mention of amphitheatre either. If the hunt of four leopards was all the public went to see why would Magerius need to stage it it at an amphitheatre? Any public space could be utilised and without the need to change props, house fighters, cage entire menageries of beasts as we might expect in a large event, it would be simpler and cheaper to let the Telegenii organise the show on his behalf. It might even be more convenient for the crowd who are saved the trouble of travelling to an arena. The roman ublic did demand entertainment and sometimes did so aggressively. In the reign of Tiberius, the family of a dead centurion whose body was on display in the marketplace were told they would not be allowed to bury his remains until funeral games had been staged at their expense. The townspeople were rounded up by legionaries as soon as Tiberius heard about it. Also, since we know troupes of entertainers such as gladiators went on tour out in the sticks performing to entertainment-starved locals, why is it so suprising that beast-hunters used the same entrepeneurial flair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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