Episode Details

Harry Sidebottom explores the world of Roman gladiators, describing the Colosseum as a building that reinforced social hierarchy through strictly assigned seating. The day's events began with a stylized procession representing Roman dominance over nature and foreign lands. Sidebottom highlights Emperor Commodus, who was genuinely obsessed with fighting in the arena, a choice that earned him animosity from the Senate. The schedule included beast hunts in the morning and gruesome midday executions of criminals, which were often staged as mythological plays. While some scholars view the martyrdom of Christians like Perpetua as literary propaganda, Sidebottom details the intense physical strain and strict rules enforced by referees during paired combat. The gladiatorial games eventually disappeared in the fifth century as the cultural and moral outlook of Rome shifted. (6)