Roman Games and Gambling
Games:
Important aspect of Roman life was the games.
Most of the games took place in amphitheaters.
The Roman games were normally very bloody and violent.
Roman games were partly religious. To ensure continued favor of the gods, the consuls of Rome were required at each calendar year to hold games dedicated to the gods.
Funds for these competitions were first supplied by the public treasury.
Roman games often included fights to the death between gladiators and wild beasts.
Other games included chariot races, animal hunts and sea battles.
Sea battles were conducted by flooding the arena.
Romans would play field and track in a place called the campus.
Overtime the campus became Romes field and track playground. Even Caesar and Augustus exercised there.
On the Campus, men participated in foot racing, jumping, archery, wrestling and boxing
All over Rome, men practiced riding, fencing, wrestling, throwing, and swimming. In the country, men went hunting and fishing.
Women didnt participate in these games.
The Romans would also play many board games.
Gambling:
- Playing dice was a very popular game among the Romans.
- These games were played in taverns as well in gambling houses.
- The emperor Commodus once turned the Imperial palace into a brothel and gambling house to raise money for the treasury that he bankrupted.
- The game of dice could be played with other pieces such as knucklebones or sticks.
- Betting on horse racing and gladiatorial games was never restricted and this left the gamers leeway in satisfying their gambling habits legally.
Bibliography
Ancient Games. March 27th 2002. http://www-relg-studies.scu.edu/projects/fal96/800am/~mpeach/rgames.htm
2.) Ancient Roman Recreation. April 6th 2002. http://www.crystalinks.com/romerecreation.html
3.) Olympics 1997. 27th March 2002 http://www.manoa.k12.hi.us/ICC/AncientCiv/Ancient%20Civilizations%20Web%20Pack/socstud/ac_ss3.htm
4.) Roman Board Games- Tesserae. March 27th 2002.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/roma/tesserae.html
- Roman Games.
Michael D. Peach. October 24th 1996. March 27th 2002.
http://www-relg studies.scu.edu/projects/fal96/800am/~mpeach/room2.htm