Human Heritage: A World History

Chapter 13: Beginnings

Web Activity Lesson Plans

“Gladiatorial Games”

Introduction
Students have read about how the Estruscans influenced Roman civilization. In this exercise, students will learn about the Estruscan contribution of laying the groundwork for the Roman Forum and the gladiatorial games.

Lesson Description
Students will use information from the Rome's Imperial Forums Web site to learn about the Forum and its use in the gladiatorial games. Students will browse the "Panem et Circenses" topic to learn about the sports competitions held in the Forum. Students may take a "virtual tour" of photos of the Forum as it looks today and illustrations of what it may have looked like in ancient times. Students will then answer four questions and apply this information by creating a poster inviting the public to an upcoming gaming event.

Instruction Objectives

1. Students will be able to identify the characteristics and purposes of the Roman gladiatorial games and to explain how the Forum was the center of Roman culture.
2. Students will be able to use this knowledge to create a poster announcing the coming attractions of the next Roman games.

Student Web Activity Answers

1. Caio Gracco destroyed the reserved seating of the Forum that excluded the poorer people, thus winning the favor of the common citizens.
2. As a young man, Julius Caesar became famous for the glorious gladiator games he organized. By satisfying the public in their fondest recreation, spectator sports, he won the hearts of the population. He consequently was placed in important political positions.
3. Gladiators were prisoners of war, slaves, and criminals. Some were just regular citizens in search of fame and riches. They were German, Spanish, Welsh, Britannic, African, Russian, and Jewish people. Using the defeated enemy as the subject of the battle was an especially popular method in the games.
4. The games kept the population happy, provided an outlet for disorderly activity, and provided a method of distributing political propaganda for the politician.
5. Students' posters will vary.