Did Entire families go to Roman Colosseum to watch Gladiators?

Question

We were having a discussion at work about the effect of violence on TV, on children. I said it doesn't make a difference because people are drawn to violence and have enjoyed watching it for 2000 years as entertainment, but a coworker said that maybe children weren't allowed to go to the Gladiator games? Does anyone know what the audience of the Colosseum was made up of?

Answer 1

In the reading I have done for my history degree, it seems that the majority of a circus audience would have been male. It seems that the crowd could be likened to some of the worst football hooliganism we have experienced in modern days. There are records of some serious rioting at some of these events.

I have never read that children were present at the games, but I have never read that weren't either. Any citizen of Rome would be eligible to attend, and I would imagine that a child would not be considered a citizen of Rome until maturity (I'll have to look this up as I'm not sure).

You must also remember that Romans considered those butchered in the arena (criminals, barbarians, gladiators) to be non-human. Anyone who was not a Roman citizen would be considered as no better than an animal. The children would have been brought up to believe in the same way.

Answer 2

Women of the patrician class did attend these shows--in fact, Livia, the wife of Augustus, persuaded him to NOT ban women from the games (because of the nudity) by using the argument that women aren't visually stimulated the way men are, and with so many statues of naked men all over the place seeing naked or nearly naked gladiators was hardly any different--bearing out the Roman attitude of superiority.

Even the Vestal Virgins attended the games, and since a girl could become a priestess of Vesta at as young an age as six (and no older than ten, by the way), the likelihood is that they were the only children in attendance, no matter what you might have seen in the film 'Gladiator.'

Answer 3

Watch Gladiator

Answer 4

That's a good question. Personally (no factual evidence) I wouldn't be the least bit surprise if children attended. You would have to pay to get in, so as long as the child payed; probably same as an adult, they could be allowed in. Again, I have no idea if this is the case, but where there is money to be made in a society that had an average life span of a little under 40 years, decency could be overcome with money.

One of the previous answers provided a good description, so I won't repeat anytihng, except that you already have your question answered unless you don't count women in families. The only children that I know for sure that attended games were of the upper or ruling class. Other than that is only speculation.

Answer 5

I'm not sure if children attended Gladiator fights or not, but despite that, until the 20th century children were treated like miniature adults. They experienced violence in various forms in their everyday lives (especially if they were poor), and they also saw death almost every day. So for centuries kids have been exposed to violence, and I personally think the stuff they're exposed to on tv is *nothing* compared to what happens in real life.

Answer 6

the games were for the citizens of Rome. And since usually only the men were classeds as citizens the audience was mostly male. Females in attendance were usually of the ruling class or prostituutes servicing the men in the galleys. Male children would have attended upon reaching puberty if their family fotrune warranted them being rich enough to be there.

Answer 7

Just watched Gladiator Unrated, yes. XD