Roman Amphitheater Events, Pepper Street, Chester, Wales, UK
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Ddraig Ddu
N 53° 11.371 W 002° 53.232
30U E 507536 N 5893359
A sign showing some random history about the Roman Amphitheater in Chester. It lists possible events that are likely to have occurred there.
Waymark Code: WMC75V
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/03/2011
Views: 5
A sign showing some random history about the Roman Amphitheater in Chester. It lists possible events that are likely to have occurred there.
The spectacles that people saw in the arena - wild beast fights, public
executions and gladiatorial combats - were not just bloodthirsty
entertainment, they were rituals that expressed Roman values. Even
the allocation of seats, with leading citizens at the front and women
and slaves at the back, mirrored the strict organisation of society.
Deadly Rituals
Wild beast fights
Bears, stags, bull and boars
would have been found in
British amphitheaters rather
than the lions and elephants
seen in Rome. They were
Captured by civilian hunters
or specialised detachments of
soldiers. The killing of beasts
in staged fights would have
reinforced belief in man's
domination over nature -
important in a world where
wild animals still posed a
real thread.
Crime and retribution
Punishments were harsh and
carried out in public to deter
offenders and show that order
was restored. As at Chester,
amphitheaters often had a
shrine to the goddess Nemesis
(Destiny); like her, the state had
the power to reward or destroy.
Stone tethering blocks with
the remains of iron loops were
found in the arena. We believe
they were used to tie animal
and human victims so they
could be seen from all sides.
Gladiators
Gladiator fights were a popular
entertainment and aroused
deep passions. Gladiators
were often prisoners of war or
condemned slaves reprieved
from execution and specially
trained. Combat gave them a
chance literally to win a 'new
life' by showing skill and courage,
even in defeat. They reinforced
the military ethos of Roman
society - important in a
garrison-town like Chester
"When he saw the blood, it was
as though he had drunk a deep
draught of savage passion. He
fixed his eyes upon the scene
and took in its frenzy... He
watched and cheered and grew
hot with excitement"
Group that erected the marker: Chester Council
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Roman Amphitheater
Chester, Cheshire Wales
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed
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