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| GLADIATOR MATCHES - 150 - 300 AD |
While the general perception of 'Gladitor Events' is easily discussed, there is actually an interesting story behind them - they weren't always the blind massacre like entertainment events they are often seen as. It's quite an interesting find in this research, it's development over the years is quiet contrasting and highlights some interesting points on how violence in games can be influential, much like Venatio's transition from legitimate hunting, to blind blood sport fun with no real justification other than cultural entertainment.
Held in 'Empitheatrums' (a Colosseum), structures specifically built for this blood sport spectacle, Gladiator Matches were a huge event for the upper class that used the lower class as a money making violent entertainment source. Slaves, criminals, the lower class and many other unfortunate citizens were the 'players', forced into an arena to fight to the death, some times against animals (Venatio) as pre-events, but in this case, against other gladiators, also criminals, slaves or lower class citizens.
The image above pretty much sums the Gladiator Match up. These 'players' would be suited with various levels of armor (depending on their fame), be thrown into an arena, watched by many citizens as they fought to the death, all whilst spectators and government officials waged money on which gladiator would survivor. Survivors often became famous and thus, adorned the heavy armor to get the crowd going and money flowing through wagers.
Three things are notable when the research topic is considered - the game's nature itself, the 'classes of gladiators, and it's contrasting origins.
The common perception of the gladiator match (the most popular version), shares many similarities to games nowadays. The structure of a game is still, even thousands of years after other game research posts, remains the same. There is an environment, a conflict, players, and goal, and a reward for the winners. The interesting fact here, just like Venatio, is how the spectators are the real 'players'. The spectators, are entertained by the violence and death, which could highlight some interesting points about why we players find violence or gore so entertaining. I really need to do a post covering this psychological angle soon. It's starting to become a clear pattern that could define this entire research project.
The second find in my research of Gladiator Matches is how there were many 'classes' of Gladiators. The 'Horseman', the 'Heavy Weapons Fighter', the 'Fish', the 'Attacker', the 'Netman', the 'Pursuer' and any many more - each completely reflect today's game classes. There's one for the 'Tank', one for the 'Scout' and one for the Assasin.
It's not the fact that these classes are evident in games even then, it's the fact that these classes exist in games with violence. Each 'class' forces the player, in this case the spectators, to question whether their player can overcome the challenge and avoid a violent death. In Gladiatorial Matches, it's not just players being murdered that's the entertainment, its wondering how they will die, as these classes present possible different violent scenarios that although could cause the player to lose out, still provide entertainment - violence is the primary entertainment source of this game, the classes add to that possible violence and add dynamics to the game as a result. In this case, violence determines how the players 'play, whilst providing a source of entertainment.
If a game had you loosing bubbles when you were hit, there would be no tension, but if the player's mortality is threatened through violence, then there is tension. So is violence just a source of shallow entertainment or does it go deeper than that when games are concerned? It seems, that there is nothing like potential death to ramp up the entertainment, gore just adds to the entertainment - if you die through violence, you lose, but it was still entertaining, if you overcome it, you inflict violence, but you are rewarded. Do violent games re-enforce the idea that violence is acceptable, that violence is rewarding? Whether intentional or not, this famed sport when compared to similarly structured games nowadays definitely seems to point in that direction. Different dynamics through a game feature like classes seem to fuel this entertainment through violence by adding dynamics and tension.
The final interesting point relates to culture, not similar game structure or how violence is entertaining. It's the Gladiator Matches' origins and development. Originating as a 'Funeral Game', gladiator matches originally occurred at a highly respected citizen's funeral, the first recorded game occurring at Junios Brutus's funeral in 264 BC, they were a payment of respect to the deceased and their ancestors. But such exclusivity was soon lost in favor of the large spectator sport we all know. So what caused this sudden transition? Well, violence. The idea of violence is something that intrigues us now and then, maybe such a match allowed spectators to enjoy violence and accept it without experiencing it them self, after all, violence is punishable. And as Scott Roger's says "Games allows players to experience something they cannot in reality". Does this define why violence is in almost all games, especially in the Roman rule where violence is punishable by death? Does it tap into our animalistic nature, subdued by morality and society, only stimulated by these violent games?
My next post will undoubtedly cover a wide range of opinions of violence in games. How is it perceived? Why is it perceived as it is? Where is it? And where are it's effects seen? It will answers many questions that at this point, I need to answer. But it's clear to say, that the Gladiator Matches have solidified clear patterns in this research. This the research on ancient blood sports seems to be enough to identify the patterns, but without answering the questions these pose, I cannot draw a clear link between then and now when violence in games is concerned. So I 'may' put a cap to this ancient research and start to focus on the topics that provide the clear answers, not theories. Violence is culture and violence is entertainment. What hasn't been answered, is whether violence in games effects culture or whether culture effects violence in games. With this answered through research on animalistic instincts, psychology of violence and studies on the effects of violent games, I cannot generate any solid conclusion from this research.
GLADIATOR RESEARCH LINKS
NEXT POST: VIOLENCE IN GAMES: THE EFFECT OF VIOLENCE IN GAMES AND IT'S CONTROVERSIES
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