Those Who Are About to Die: A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator
by Harry Sidebottom
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"See ancient Rome, and peer into the Roman mind, through the eyes of a gladiator-from the evening before the Games at the Colosseum to the evening after. What did a gladiator feel when he stepped out onto the sand of the Colosseum, his life in the balance? What ran through the minds of the masses there to witness his likely execution? And how did this bloodthirsty ritual come to exist in the first place? In Those Who Are About to Die, Harry Sidebottom-an internationally bestselling novelist show more and professor of classical history at Oxford-pulls us into the arena, and into the homes and forums of ancient Rome, taking the reader on an eye-opening, twenty-four-hour tour through Roman life at the height of the gladiatorial games, from the first century BC to the second century AD. We follow the gladiators through the schools (ludi) where they trained, watch in awe as the massive event unfolds-from the gambling at the pre-festival dinner to the dawn rush to get a seat at the arena to the resounding music, the elaborate stage sets, and, yes, the public executions that served as lunch-break entertainment-and we unlearn all the bogus movie tropes (no, alas, gladiators did not have ripped bods, they were kept fleshy so they'd bleed more). Broken down by time of day-Vesper, Prima Vigilia, Secunda Vigilia, up through the following sunset (Solis Occasus)-Those Who Are About to Die offers illuminating insights into every aspect of the life and mind of ancient Romans, their social mores and hierarchies, their thoughts on death and sex and violence, and the myths and dreams that fueled the spectacle. With wit and authority, Those Who Are About to Die gives us the truth behind a figure we can't stop imagining"-- Provided by publisher. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
A look at ancient Rome through a day in the life of a gladiator.
This is a well researched and informative book on a wide variety of aspects of ancient Roman life. Although Sidebottom uses gladiators as a focus for the book, he gives information on such topics like diet, hunting, dream interpretation, and time keeping.
There are copious notes and a lengthy bibliography included, which I always consider a good sign in non-fiction works.
Where this book let me down a little was in organization. Or perhaps I should say expectation: The subtitle is A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator so I expected gladiators to be the focus of the book, but they're more the lens through which ancient Rome is examined. Not a bad thing, just not what I show more expected when I started reading.
Received via NetGalley. show less
This is a well researched and informative book on a wide variety of aspects of ancient Roman life. Although Sidebottom uses gladiators as a focus for the book, he gives information on such topics like diet, hunting, dream interpretation, and time keeping.
There are copious notes and a lengthy bibliography included, which I always consider a good sign in non-fiction works.
Where this book let me down a little was in organization. Or perhaps I should say expectation: The subtitle is A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator so I expected gladiators to be the focus of the book, but they're more the lens through which ancient Rome is examined. Not a bad thing, just not what I show more expected when I started reading.
Received via NetGalley. show less
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43+ Works 2,160 Members
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- Original title
- Those Who Are About To Die: Gladiators and the Roman Mind
- Alternate titles
- Those Who Are About To Die: A Day in the Life of a Gladiator
- Original publication date
- 2025
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- Members
- 50
- Popularity
- 605,294
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.50)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 3
