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The Gladiators are back at it.
Gladiators to Fight Again in Rome’s Colosseum
via MSNBC
Gladiators are to return to Rome’s most famous fight arena almost 2,000 years after their bloody sport last entertained Roman crowds, local authorities announced.
According to Umberto Broccoli, the head of archaeology at Rome’s city council, 2009 will be a time for the five million people who visit the Colosseum each year to experience “the sights, sounds and smells” of ancient Rome……
“We do not need to enshrine historical sites and monuments, we need to make them more spectacular. Museums and monuments must speak to the public in a new way,” Broccoli told the daily La Repubblica.
According to Broccoli’s plan, modern-day gladiators will engage in realistically choreographed mock fights, wearing original costumes and the same combat gear — swords, tridents, nets and daggers — that was used 2,000 years ago.
The re-enacted contests will be staged in the evening, accompanied by readings from the works of Latin poets such as Seneca. It has yet to be determined whether gladiators will fight on a stage over the arena’s subterranean chambers and tunnels or on a stage outside the Colosseum.
Stressing that the fights would not be a Disneyland-like attraction, but a serious project to bring the sporting heroes of antiquity alive, Broccoli also dismissed fears that they might appear too crude.
“The gladiators themselves were vulgar. They were sweaty, they stank and they swore. Why not show them as they really were?” Broccoli said.
Broccoli’s proposal has not be widely welcomed. According to Giulia Rodano, the Lazio region cultural councillor, “there might be more appropriate ways to celebrate the tragic time of the gladiators.”
“After all we are not talking of Hollywood myths, we are talking of slaves sent to die just to entertain the Romans,” Rodano said in a statement.
However, city officials agree that mock gladiator fights would make a better entertainment at the Colosseum than pop concerts, whose vibrations risk damage the monument
“There will be no more concerts there. The amphitheater has no need of publicity through such events,” Francesco Giro, the deputy culture minister, said.
Nevertheless, a series of so far undisclosed events are scheduled to take place over the next months at the famous arena.
They are intended to mark the 2000th anniversary of the birth of the Emperor Vespasian, who during his reign from 69 A.D. to 79 A.D. began the construction of the Flavian Amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum.
“2009 will be the year of the Colosseum. The world’s most famous monument deserves to be celebrated, and with it the man who conceived it,” Mauro Cutrufo, the deputy mayor, said.
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18 Responses to “From The Gladiator”
You are the Gladiator!!!!!!!!!!!
Side note: I wanted to do my model shoot there but looks like I will have strong men fighting in my background….maybe that will make my photos sexier…lol
By Kellz on Jan 8, 2009
That’s pretty cool they are bringing gladiators back, sounds as if it would be cool to watch!
By Tiara on Jan 8, 2009
cool comm.
http://WWW.SHOPSCUBASTEVE.COM
By Scuba Steve on Jan 8, 2009
Are you not entertained? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!
By Episode on Jan 8, 2009
YAY! MORE REGRESSION! ALL WE NEED RIGHT NOW IS MORE DEMONSTRATION OF BARBARISM AND VIOLENCE. NICE ONE, ROME.
By jennifer on Jan 8, 2009
I’m with what Jennifer said!!
By Miami Mami on Jan 8, 2009
Peace, Love and Harmony is more of what we need. There is a reason why that kind of brutally ignorant killing is not celebrated any longer and it’s call progression of the human race. All praises to The Most High.
By Haimaat on Jan 8, 2009
A heart full of glory and a fist of pain… are you not entertained?!
By Word on Jan 8, 2009
Common, you’re the gladiator who should perform at the Colosseum. Otherwise, I don’t know about this one…and “crude” (as cited in the article) is hardly the word to describe such an event.
By Andrea on Jan 8, 2009
In response to: “A heart full of glory and a fist of pain… are you not entertained?!”
In light of our world events i.e Gaza, Iraq, Afghanistan only to name a few, I think I can due without more violence and for the purpose of “entertainment,” that seems to be a bit loose on the sensitivity scale. Talk about going backwards. Can we focus on change? When did peace go out of style again?
By jennifer on Jan 8, 2009
Common, I love Gladiator. But recently I been listen to one of my favorite tracks, Faithful, from your BE album. It inspired me to create a video about it. It has clips from some of your previous videos as well as your buddies John Legend and Alicia Keys. I hope you can watch my video. I put mad effort on this project as I tried to narrate a story with my video and capture the essence of your meaning. Common, please view this video I made. I don’t care if you respond or not to my video. I just want you to watch as a fan-appreciation for your music. Man, you and Kanye’s music are one of the true elements to the inner peace I acquired for myself. Once again, please, please watch this video… I put mad effort in this.
http://www.dailymotion.com/dazntofuboi/video/13391841
By Douglas on Jan 9, 2009
Common if you can’t view the video, please try this one. Please Common!
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=faithful+comon&emb=0&aq=f#emb=0&aq=f&q=faithful%20common
By Douglas on Jan 9, 2009
Common if you can’t view the video, please try this one. Please Common!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-603541543905915450&ei=PexmSdyjKISQqAKJn_HBAQ&q=faithful+common
By Douglas on Jan 9, 2009
If you liked the movie Gladiator with Russell Crowe, this painting was the inspiration for many of the gladiator costumes in the movie. Oh, and Com, I am entertained!!! Love this song. I give myself headaches from nodding to it so much!
By Nicole on Jan 9, 2009
DUDE. Hella controversy on your blog comments. Nice one. You were probably researching to get inspired for ideas on your *hopefully* next single. and then BAM gents be upsettin!
I love you.
By marcellulite on Jan 9, 2009
Wow! ‘When in Rome…’ At least it’s choreographed and not real. It will probably be like wrestling but more theatrical and probably a lot sweeter! I’m wit it. It’s better than bull fighting or even ultimate fighting. Hell they should put the heads of state up in there to fight it out. It would spare lives and it’s a lot cheaper than the f*ckin war!!!!
Count down to Barack!!
By T.P. on Jan 9, 2009
Being that I saw the movie gladiator and did a little research cause I loved the movie so much. I think this will be good entertainment, however the reasons for which they fought back then are not the same reasons they are fighting now. In a way its good because it wont be fatal and as serious.
By misslovedoc on Jan 23, 2009
Good entertainment….
“ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?”
Loves UMC!!!
By misslovedoc on Jan 23, 2009