Justus Kids' University
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How Did Gladiators Fight? A Journey into the Roman Amphitheatre
Gladiators were the “superstars” of Roman antiquity and continue to capture the popular imagination today, appearing in films and comics such as Asterix the Gladiator. But how do we know what the lives of these fighters and their experiences in the arena were really like more than 2,000 years ago? This is one of the questions explored in Classical Archaeology. Using methods from experimental archaeology, we investigate Roman gladiatorial combat through practical reconstruction and the study of archaeological evidence. By analysing ancient sources and material remains, we aim to better understand how gladiators fought in the arena. During this event, students were introduced to the methods of experimental archaeology and attended a live reconstruction of a Roman gladiatorial combat demonstration. Photos from our arena event featuring the exciting fight between Leonidas and Lyssa can be found here. Contact: Mathias Kunzler |