| Escapism and distraction are social controls that can | | | | sets of gladiatorial spectacle positioned almost 50 |
| be employed by a governing body to hide | | | | years apart, just happened to fall on times of conflict. |
| inadequacies or divert attention from themes that | | | | A more likely explanation is that these gladiatorial |
| can cause malcontent among the populace. It is | | | | spectacles were put on to distract the people from |
| important to distinguish between the two; distraction | | | | the turmoil of war. Another explanation is that there |
| refers to anything that can take the attention of the | | | | were gladiatorial spectacles that fell within this 50 |
| populace away from the inadequacies of the | | | | year gap, but they were not particularly noteworthy, |
| government where as escapism refers to specifically | | | | and greater publicity was generated for these two |
| removing the minds of the individuals from the | | | | recorded games again for the purpose of distraction |
| situation that they are in, in order to escape anything | | | | of the masses. |
| that brings discontent to their lives. | | | | Escapism |
| Distraction | | | | Escapism could well be the biggest factor in social |
| Distraction was a tool that could be used by | | | | control that gladiatorial spectacles had over its |
| Emperors both to divert attention from current | | | | audience. In contemporary society there are a |
| objectionable events. Impending risk of warfare | | | | number of escapisms that are available even to |
| increased anxiety within Roman society, the | | | | those who do not have a large disposable income. |
| development of gladiatorial spectacle could both | | | | Some of the most popular escapisms in modern |
| demonstrate the continuing competence of the | | | | society such as television, the internet, film, and |
| governing body of Rome, even during a crisis (Futrell | | | | computer games were not accessible to the Romans. |
| 2006). Not only could the gladiatorial spectacle distract | | | | Granted they had food, literature and recreational |
| the citizens from contemporary issues but it could | | | | games, but none of these can draw comparison with |
| also "erase public memories of political blunders" in the | | | | the hold that television and the internet has on |
| past (Shelton 1998, p333). | | | | society today. This is where the gladiatorial |
| Distraction from warfare was an obvious connection, | | | | spectacles came into play; they provided the |
| however distraction could also be used to keep "the | | | | audience with a complete distraction from their |
| populace amused and out of mischief" (Lewis and | | | | mundane day to day lives. The comradery of sitting |
| Reinhold, 1990, p142). Auguet (1994, p185) further | | | | amongst their peers, the historical stories that some |
| added weight to this view by describing gladiatorial | | | | of the spectacles told, and the opportunity to wrap |
| spectacle as "a first rate means of keeping people | | | | oneself up in the glory of Rome, provided the ideal |
| amused". Grant (1967, p104) also agreed with this | | | | escape from issues of war, disease, political unrest |
| concept exclaiming that Emperors expressed the | | | | that may have otherwise had a more detrimental |
| wish that the "potentially unruly and dangerous city | | | | affect on the psychology of the population. |
| population" be "amused", also adding the idea that this | | | | Kyle (2007, p301) stated that attendees of |
| would and keep them "quiet". | | | | gladiatorial spectacles, utilised them to "escape their |
| As stated earlier (see Literature Review) the first | | | | deplorable living conditions". Shelton (1998, p334) |
| reported date of the gladiatorial spectacle was in 264 | | | | further elaborates declaring that political figures hoped |
| BCE and at the time of the First Punic War. The | | | | that these diversions would "take people's minds off |
| second recorded date of the gladiatorial spectacle | | | | problems like unemployment and food shortages". |
| was not until 216 BCE again coinciding with a year of | | | | According to Shelton (1998, p349) viewing the |
| war in which the battle of Cannae took place | | | | gladiatorial spectacles would allow "people who |
| (Shadrake 2005). This leaves a gap of almost 50 | | | | themselves felt powerless and brutalised" to find |
| years in which there is no record of any gladiatorial | | | | "some satisfaction in watching the infliction of pain on |
| spectacle having taken place in the Roman Empire. It | | | | others". |
| seems too much of a coincidence that these two | | | | |