Why you think gladiator fights were so popular? Let me know below and remember you can also find me at: BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): www.historycallingofficial.com/ Amazon storefront: www.amazon.com/shop/historycalling Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling/ Patreon: www.patreon.com/historycalling
I think that the gladiators were popular because they satiated the basic animal instinct in humans: a blood just without getting one's hands dirty. The same can be said today for certain boxing, wrestling, football (soccer), rugby(American football), and ice hockey matches. It's just that today, with modern medical advances, very few, if any, participants die.🙄
I have seen the gladiator fights likened to modern UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship, I think? Professional mixed martial arts fighting) and/or NFL (National Football League. Professional American football) matches and similar industry grown up around them. As some one else noted with somewhat less death nowadays. Though, I would guess for many of the same reasons as were historically.
Oh boy History Calling, I think you’ve just brushed on one of the most fascinating topics ever, the Roman Empire! I wonder if you’ve ever read Manda Scott’s magnificent Boudica series? As a historian, I’m sure you would appreciate her great level of detail while weaving in an amazing story about the collision of the ancient tribes of the British Isles and Ancient Rome. I’m sure the history fans here would love these books! Please do as much Rome content as you’d like. 😊
No, I haven't read that one I'm afraid. I'm also afraid there won't be much further Roman content here on HC given that this video has totally flopped :-( I had been hoping with the recent movie that it would have done better.
I read the first 2 or 3 books when it was a new series, but never finished when the other books came out. I was so emotionally gutted by the loss of her brother and treachery of her lover. I find Boudica fascinating and feel a bit like a fan girl for her 😆
@ I would absolutely encourage you to go back to them, there are 4 novels in total. I learned so much from that time period about the life of Roman soldiers as well as the ancient tribes of the British Isles. But on top of that, the story was so compelling that remembering the last lines of the book gives me an emotional reaction many years after reading. If you like Boudica you’ve got to finish the series! ☺️
Thank you for this video as it helps to improve my knowledge of gladiators - which was pretty much only what I saw in the Russell Crowe 'Gladiator' film
Lionstar16 you might also enjoy the Spartacus TV series. It’s quite bloody and raunchy but if that doesn’t offend you it’s worth watching at least the first season.
It's informative and factual videos like this that makes me realize how shallow our educational systems are when it comes to teaching the truth about the past. Hollywood versions skew, distort, and down right fabricate so much of the reality of events that it would be no surprise to me if a person today actually believes there are dinosaurs living on an island off the coast of western Mexico. Please keep up the fantastic work!
Yes, I agree that education systems in many places in the world have a lot of problems today, not just in their poor teaching of history, but even in basic skills like literacy. That's a whole other discussion though! :-)
Like many who are not professional historians my interest in an historical topic arises when I meet it in a piece of fiction be it a book or film(including TV series). I love getting into the topic and seeing how the author/s got it right. Rome first became of interest to me when I saw "I, Claudius" and later read the book. This introduced me to the Imperium. It was rekindled with Colleen McCullough's "Masters of Rome" series as I read about the Republic. Your video has added some new scraps to my knowledge.
Awesome video, HC! So glad you pulled some magic from your ancient history hat. I'm not sure I'll watch the new Gladiator film; the original lost its shine for me rather quickly. BTW, I followed your advice and rewatched your video of the Library of Alexandria this morning. Great way to start the day. Thanks, and have a great week. 🙏🏼
@@HistoryCalling Of course! Sadly, I've yet to see Mescal's work. I read that he was excellent in "Aftersun" and he was nominated for an Oscar. Good for him. 👏
Ohhh, is that what's going on? I saw this video, and then Tasting History also just put out a short about gladiators. I was over here like "Okay, why is everyone talking about gladiators today?" LOL
Thank you. Sadly this video's poor performance doesn't give me any incentive to go back to the ancient world though, which is a real shame as it's such a fascinating period of history :-(
I appreciate your optimism that gladiatorial combat would evoke widespread horror among modern audiences, when quite physically dangerous contact sports like American football and boxing are some of the most popular spectator events
I really enjoyed this gladiatorial history overview; its poignent to understand that ultimately the games didn't end because humanity became more humane. It just cost too much.
Thank you so much for such a generous donation Theresa, especially on a video which to be frank, looks like it's a total flop. Your kindness is, as always, much appreciated.
Hi, awesome live history video. I enjoyed it. How are you doing? I'm doing well and so is my cat Benjamin. All your live history videos are always enjoyable. Have a great day see you next video 😊
That was great HC I didn't know of all the different types of gladiators there were. Now knowing that the thumbs up or down mean something totally different from what we thought. Thank you for all you do. Looking forward to the next lesson.
I love your videos..all of them are amazing... If you would like an idea for future videos you should do videos on the history or various European castles. I would definitely watch.. Thanks for your hard work and research you put into all your videos
Thank you, that was very interesting as always. I was wondering if you would consider adding a glossary to your videos, it would make some of the more unusual terms easier to remember, and do you have any plans to have your ancestry book released in print form? Thanks for your interesting videos, they are little treasures.
Yes, the book will be released as a paperback too (Amazon just don't allow pre-orders for paperbacks). No plans for a glossary I'm afraid, but I try to explain the odder terms as I go along. Apologies though if I missed something in this video.
This was son interesting. I don't know much about the ancient Rome but honestly i feel that is so much information and many years that i don't know where to start. This reminded me so much in many ways to a song of ice and fire (game of thrones books) and i see that the author take a lot of inspiration for some of tej cultures in his books. History is so fascinating 😊
Thanks for this it was really interesting. I don't know if you watch Tasting History but Max has done several videos on what warriors and gladiators from Ancient Greece and Rome ate and even spectators watching the exhibition could get to snack on.
❤ this video, HC! As a historian, do you ever wonder why the ancient world’s fascination with blood sports was so big?? Although I guess you could argue that’s even carried into the modern day, with wrestling/boxing being so popular! And fun fact: my mother’s absolute favourite movie was Gladiator! 😂
Honestly, I think it's part of the human condition. There are still places in the world today that glorify making animals fight and sadly I think that if the likes of the Hunger Games were real, or gladiator fights were brought back, a lot of people would take pleasure in watching them. We have better outlets for our apparent love of violence now, like TV, movies and the wrestling you mention, but a lot of people obviously still get off on watching it which suggests to me that we aren't as evolved as we often like to think. :-(
Congratulations on the book, HC. How exciting! As for popularity of gladiator games, violence and blood sport still seems to be popular with a certain segment of society. (violent video games, mass attacks at schools, public or social events, etc.). Wish I could say why. 😢 But it was an entertaining video!
Yes, I think you're spot on. We haven't really evolved all that much except that most of us have found better outlets for our nastiness (like computer games and movies). It would be great if we could even evolve beyond needing violence in those things in society.
Great video. Just in time for the Gladiator sequel. It’s not historical accurate, but we’re enthralled by the gladiator stories. Wish I know how they turned the colosseum into nautical games. The building of the colosseum and turning it into nautical games were impressive. Have you done the Reign of Terror? My maternal grandmother was French. She and her Spanish husband moved to Mexico in 1939. If it’s not your thing that’s okay. Thank you for the history lesson.
Alice I so nearly mentioned that in the video! We are clearly of one mind, cause I hear her saying that too (and her adorable attempt to say Haitians) :-)
@@HistoryCalling The best part about it is, those were both flubs by Alicia Silverstone they decided to keep in the movie because they were perfect to Cher's character
Thanks for another informative and well-researched video! Just one small thing--at the 33:20 mark, don't you mean that the /western/ ". . . empire fell just 66 years later" ?
Another great video!! Learned more in this 35 minutes than in my lifetime - fantastic detail!! I think they were popular for the same reason car crash videos are popular on YT - schadenfreude. All the fasination of the violence, no personal responsibility to partake.
And I'm currently reading an (extremely) exhaustive bio of the Beatles- their Irish roots are extensive; the author actually traces their families back to the Potato Famine.
There will be a paperback though if you're able to get an e-book I would recommend that because it means you can click the links in it very easily and not have to type them out.
Fun fact: Did you know, Maria Josepha of Bavaria(March 20th,1739-may 28th,1767) was the second wife of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph, the second. When she married Joseph he treated badly. You see, he was still in love with his first wife and didn’t want to remarry but was forced to.
Very, very interesting...and after another weekend of head-banging college football here in the U.S., I'm left to wonder how much we've really changed. (And I'll admit, I'd probably be more interested in "Dancing With The Stars","America's Got Talent", etc. if they were to the death).
We just exchanged the sword for a ball and made padding and helmets from different materials. But you do have a point. I live in a big college football town. But even looking at the coliseum, you can see how most modern stadiums use that same model - just more oval than round. Usually domed facilities are circular. Animals are still brought in. Granted, they live better than most humans and are more symbolic. Can you imagine how difficult it was for men with CTE then?
@@ErinH-430 I had that exact same thought about the colosseum- it looks like the inspiration for every modern sports facility. As far was CTE, ugh...we still haven't worked that out and it's a huge dilemma in football. With every hard hit I think about it...and I wonder if O.J. Simpson was a product of it.
Best Spartacus was the series in 2010 they did in loved everything about it was amazing …. I know they had to change actors due to the lead becoming sick and passing away.
I was always a fan of the retiarius. The trident and net seemed to put a little distance between the retiarius and the other bloke(s) trying to wipe him out.
They remind me of Finnick Odair in the Hunger Games (and he was probably based on them to an extent). Apparently they were really looked down on by the other gladiators though.
I think I've said before though that I don't do guest spots on other people's content, even if I was asked. Also, I know nothing about Elizabeth of Russia.
Sadly not. This video has tanked, so I don't think I'll be spending much time in the ancient world going forwards. I'm bummed about it too as there's so much there that's fascinating, but if people won't even click on gladiators, which is a really interesting topic and currently the theme of a major Hollywood movie, then I don't think they'll click on other Roman history :-(
That sucks so hard. I don't suppose your loyal fans could convince you to try one more time? People like scandalous & weird history, so maybe something with Caligula, Nero, Cleopatra's intrigue with Rome, or one of the Julias? Or some really outlandish coup/assassination attempts? Tbh, you might need to rethink your SEO & keyword/hashtag approach. You have tons of great content, so maybe that's where the issue is.
@@HistoryCalling as much as I hate to admit it, clickbait titles seem to work. I wouldn't do anything egregious with it... But it seems like those kinds of titles and thumbnails work.
For the question I’m keeping it Roman: who’s the best Roman Emperor (not counting the Eastern Roman Empire, sticking to the 476 mark) that you know of?
Oh I know almost nothing about any of them. I'll have to say Octavius/Caesar Augustus, purely because he's the only one I know even a little bit about.
@@HistoryCallingI mean I gotta say it’s a pretty good answer- Idk much about them myself- I could go on about the Eastern Roman Emperors but the Western Empire isn’t as appealing to me so I only know enough about some haha. That being said, I think Augustus is like Edward III in the sense that they’re a classic, undisputedly good rulers
I wonder if using the hippos meant fighting in water. That would be far more exciting. Were there systematic methods of betting or was it just among individuals?
I remember when I went to Rome in 2000 and there were several men dressed up like gladiators and you could take a picture with them outside the coliseum like at Disney World. I found it odd On another note about your book. When I was in the lobby of my hotel in Santiago de Compostela this summer, I was killing time before going to the airport. There was an Irish couple and their daughter sitting near me. The man said “you should stop by Ireland and see the land of your ancestors.” Clearly from my first name, I have Irish ancestors. I asked him “how do you know I’m Irish?” His daughter said “everyone is Irish if you go back far enough.” And go be fair, Santiago is in Galicia where they seem very proud of their heritage left by Celtic invaders. But when I told him my first name, he had a good laugh. But it definitely shows how diverse Spain is too.
Thank you! I agree that Romans did many things that we wouldn't consider civilized! I hate that so many people revere the Roman Empire as the GOAT, when so many abuses and damaging practices were started by them. The fallacy of "Pax Romana" needs to die.
First of all, thanks for something not about the Tudors (I know why you do it, though, so this is not meant as a critique, it's just that there are so many other fascinating topics!). I am not a Christian myself, but I'd say they were spot-on with their concerns about the psychological impact of watching that kind of mass violence, made even worse by it degenerating from a (maybe) death ritual which I guess might have had a different vibe (a memento mori for those watching) to primitive entertainment of the lowest order. Although I suspect it was really the other way round: As you say, Rome was a deeply militaristic society who (in imperial times) had been at continuous war for several centuries. Considering how psychologically and morally broken soldiers are today when coming back even from one war after witnessing all the atrocities that seem inevitably linked to war (not just the fighting itself, but what happens on the sidelines to civilians) - it stands to reason the whole society consisted of deeply damaged and brutalized people with no sensitivity left, who thus only would react to 'hard core' entertainment. Little aside: the volcano near Pompej is Mount Vesuvius, not Etna.
Thank you. Yes, I know I messed up the volcano. Unfortunately due to the quick turnaround time on the video (which I only finished on Friday evening because I forgot the movie was coming out and so didn't create this weeks in advance as usual) there wasn't time to do better checks. My face is red! As to your other points, I agree completely that having so many emotionally damaged people in the Empire due to its constant wars must have contributed to that society's bloodlust. That said, I think loving violence seems to be an unfortunate part of the human condition anyway. I wish we could evolve out of it.
Thanks for the video Very interesting I never knew much about how gladiator competition worked but I always thought they must have been the forerunner of medieval jousts and melees which could be but were not usually deadly However I've read that jousts and such were staged to entertain yes - but also to keep fighting men's skills sharp during peace time And it was the nobles that were especially featured Bloodlust was not the point in a medieval contest So I was surprised to learn their were schools dedicated to the practice of gladiator although I knew some of them became quite famous It seems to share more with boxing or wrestling of today than jousting Dangerous and marked by short careers!
Yes, I was thinking about jousting whilst making this as well, though as you say, at least jousts weren't designed to kill (though accidents happened of course) and they weren't for slaves.
Sadly this video has completely tanked though. Just look at the lousy viewer numbers. I'm afraid the Tudors are (for the most part) where the money is. That said, if you look at my video list, I actually do a lot that isn't about the Tudors anyway.
@HistoryCalling it's a shame just a small part of history is appreciated. There are so many fascinating topics to be covered and I literally squealed at this video. People should appreciate history more.
Ah, I hadn't thought of that. I wonder if George R.R. Martin knows about lanistas? He's very well read in history and the fighting pits of Mereen look like a copy of the gladiator fights, so I'm sure he does.
I've just seen Gladiator II so I loved this. I was amazed that they actually did flood an arena to fight on ships. I thought that was Hollywood rubbish. I'd still love to know how they got the sharks in there though
Thoroughly enjoyable as a change of pace from the Tudors! Thank you. I cannot understand why today so many people get all their entertainment from watching egregiously overpaid athletes on television competing in brutal sports like American football. I suppose the Roman enjoyment of gladiator combat stems from the same thing, whatever it is.
Oh crap! Sorry. These stupid little errors slip through sometimes and in my tiredness I just don't notice. I only got the video done on Friday night and it had to go out to Patreon on Sunday, so there wasn't time to do further checks.
It's just too tragic to hear about the animals massacred in these places. I know a species of elephant native to the NW corner of Africa went extinct, probably a speciation split from the time that north africa was an massive riparian/wetland habitat. On the documentary From Jesus to Christ, I believe they discuss St Perpetua's martyrdom. Truly a sad time to be alive if you were powerless.
I have no idea why Romans enjoyed these gladiatorial combats. Life was very brutal in those days, so maybe it just did not affect people as it would today. They would probably think we were all wimps, who knows? I am glad it stopped as it seems a complete waste of human and animal life, for entertainment. 😐
I know. It's a very sad commentary on what we're like as a species that so many of us will apparently enjoy this. It's not just the ancient world either. Look at the slavery in the American south and the terrible way in which black people were treated (and are often still treated) even after it ended, with lynchings etc. We're just not a nice species a lot of the time. It was indeed a complete waste of life, just as you say.
@HistoryCalling it is a continuing theme. Man's inhumanity to man. It has been kill or be killed for thousands of years. Battles, crusades, pogroms, the holocaust, wars such as in Ukraine and Gaza. It never stops. As you say, we are not always a nice species.
I think it was complicated “entertainment”. A political gesture to curry voter favor. Free admission, free food, plus, oh yes, free killings. No pay per view here! It’s a sad commentary on violent times. Your research was extensive, as always, and you have made another excellent video for us to learn from. Have a great week! 😊
Thanks Amy. Yes, it was horrible. It makes me think of the Hunger Games, which is of course largely based on this type of history. It doesn't say much about us as a species unfortunately.
Wow. I wasn't expecting any of that, great video, HC! I don't know how you managed to pack so much information in this video, just one thing I'll never understand is why it was such a hugely popular spectator sport! Call me a wimp, it's like the most extreme version of wrestling! Ps. I love the link to the thumbs up at the end! 😊 Excellent presentation of something we think we know all about, I learned so much I had no idea about! Thank you, HC! 👏🏼🩷
Thank you. I have to give credit to the excellent book by Dunkle which I read as part of my research. It's hard for me to understand how this could be so popular too, but I don't think it says much about us as a species unfortunately :-(
I'm right there with you. I hate that kind of thing. The only sport I'll watch a bit of is tennis (and they shake hands and congratulate each other at the end of the matches).
Why you think gladiator fights were so popular? Let me know below and remember you can also find me at:
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I think that the gladiators were popular because they satiated the basic animal instinct in humans: a blood just without getting one's hands dirty. The same can be said today for certain boxing, wrestling, football (soccer), rugby(American football), and ice hockey matches. It's just that today, with modern medical advances, very few, if any, participants die.🙄
There was no TV! I think humans crave spectacle. Then there's basic voyeurism.
@@maryellencook9528 All that, and looking at most probably rather muscular men in very short attire.
I have seen the gladiator fights likened to modern UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship, I think? Professional mixed martial arts fighting) and/or NFL (National Football League. Professional American football) matches and similar industry grown up around them. As some one else noted with somewhat less death nowadays. Though, I would guess for many of the same reasons as were historically.
@@reginapopihn9853or nonexistent attire.
You could make a 13 hour video about the history of toilets and I would watch it. Absolutely love your deep dives for all parts of history.
Thank you. Do check out my video about death by toilet, if you haven't already.
🤣
Couldn’t have said it better myself. I just adore her.
Same, she is awesome!!! :)
Many deep dives resulted in toilets. You’re welcome
Just when I thought you couldn’t catch my interest more than you already have, you hit us with Rome! I’m infatuated with Ancient Rome. 😊😅
It's such an interesting topic. I'd never read much about gladiators, but I got sucked in very quickly.
Admittedly, I know next to nothing about ancient Rome. Its never been of interest to me. Strangely, this has captured my interest.
Another great video! I love history and your voice is so lovely and soothing. :)
Thank you so much :-)
Appreciate the research that this segment must have required, very well done.
Thanks Michael. The book I read as part of my research was really good.
Oh boy History Calling, I think you’ve just brushed on one of the most fascinating topics ever, the Roman Empire! I wonder if you’ve ever read Manda Scott’s magnificent Boudica series? As a historian, I’m sure you would appreciate her great level of detail while weaving in an amazing story about the collision of the ancient tribes of the British Isles and Ancient Rome. I’m sure the history fans here would love these books! Please do as much Rome content as you’d like. 😊
No, I haven't read that one I'm afraid. I'm also afraid there won't be much further Roman content here on HC given that this video has totally flopped :-( I had been hoping with the recent movie that it would have done better.
I read the first 2 or 3 books when it was a new series, but never finished when the other books came out. I was so emotionally gutted by the loss of her brother and treachery of her lover.
I find Boudica fascinating and feel a bit like a fan girl for her 😆
@ I’m honestly so shocked by that, has the algorithm gone haywire? Or are Tudor fans just not interested in Rome? I thought it was fantastic.
@ I would absolutely encourage you to go back to them, there are 4 novels in total. I learned so much from that time period about the life of Roman soldiers as well as the ancient tribes of the British Isles. But on top of that, the story was so compelling that remembering the last lines of the book gives me an emotional reaction many years after reading. If you like Boudica you’ve got to finish the series! ☺️
Thank you for this video as it helps to improve my knowledge of gladiators - which was pretty much only what I saw in the Russell Crowe 'Gladiator' film
Until last week, that was pretty much all I knew about them too :-)
Lionstar16 you might also enjoy the Spartacus TV series. It’s quite bloody and raunchy but if that doesn’t offend you it’s worth watching at least the first season.
So whose job was it to bring a hippo to Rome? That's a story in itself.
It sure is, isn't it? I feel like there's an historical novel in there somewhere, possibly even a comedy.
It was Bill Murray who brought the hippo to Rome and Matthew McConaughey was driving the tractor trailer truck 😂😂😂
It's informative and factual videos like this that makes me realize how shallow our educational systems are when it comes to teaching the truth about the past. Hollywood versions skew, distort, and down right fabricate so much of the reality of events that it would be no surprise to me if a person today actually believes there are dinosaurs living on an island off the coast of western Mexico. Please keep up the fantastic work!
Yes, I agree that education systems in many places in the world have a lot of problems today, not just in their poor teaching of history, but even in basic skills like literacy. That's a whole other discussion though! :-)
Like many who are not professional historians my interest in an historical topic arises when I meet it in a piece of fiction be it a book or film(including TV series).
I love getting into the topic and seeing how the author/s got it right.
Rome first became of interest to me when I saw "I, Claudius" and later read the book. This introduced me to the Imperium. It was rekindled with Colleen McCullough's "Masters of Rome" series as I read about the Republic.
Your video has added some new scraps to my knowledge.
Awesome video, HC! So glad you pulled some magic from your ancient history hat. I'm not sure I'll watch the new Gladiator film; the original lost its shine for me rather quickly. BTW, I followed your advice and rewatched your video of the Library of Alexandria this morning. Great way to start the day. Thanks, and have a great week. 🙏🏼
Thanks so much Stephen. I'll probably see it at some point, especially as the lead is from the Emerald Isle :-)
@@HistoryCalling Of course! Sadly, I've yet to see Mescal's work. I read that he was excellent in "Aftersun" and he was nominated for an Oscar. Good for him. 👏
I've only seen Normal People, but he was very good in it.
Ohhh, is that what's going on? I saw this video, and then Tasting History also just put out a short about gladiators. I was over here like "Okay, why is everyone talking about gladiators today?" LOL
Love the variety in content! Hope to see more pre-medieval stuff.
Thank you. Sadly this video's poor performance doesn't give me any incentive to go back to the ancient world though, which is a real shame as it's such a fascinating period of history :-(
Love to see you flex your historical muscles outside your norm. I just love your thorough research and strong narratives! Thank you ❤
Thanks Hannah. I wish this one had done better though. Its poor performance doesn't give me any incentive to go back to the ancient world :-(
I appreciate your optimism that gladiatorial combat would evoke widespread horror among modern audiences, when quite physically dangerous contact sports like American football and boxing are some of the most popular spectator events
Bullfighting as well. The Spanish have no intention of banning it yet.
Could you do a video on the historical accuracy (or otherwise) of Wolf Hall?
That's maybe a bit too vast for a weekly video, but I will do something Cromwellian for you during its current run :-)
I really enjoyed this gladiatorial history overview; its poignent to understand that ultimately the games didn't end because humanity became more humane. It just cost too much.
Thank you for another fantastic vid! ♥️ Congrats on your book 🎈🎊🍾🎉🥳
Thanks Lisa :-)
@ you’re quite welcome 😉
Thanks!
Thank you so much for such a generous donation Theresa, especially on a video which to be frank, looks like it's a total flop. Your kindness is, as always, much appreciated.
@HistoryCalling u dont think it should be a total flop. I think it's interesting. Thanks girl, your awesome 👌
I love old Rome's history and your episode was great!!!! Your accent is great to listen too. 😎
Thank you very much. I loved researching and putting this one together. It was so interesting.
Hi, awesome live history video. I enjoyed it. How are you doing? I'm doing well and so is my cat Benjamin. All your live history videos are always enjoyable. Have a great day see you next video 😊
Thanks Michelle (and Benjamin). Have a great week :-)
That was great HC I didn't know of all the different types of gladiators there were. Now knowing that the thumbs up or down mean something totally different from what we thought. Thank you for all you do. Looking forward to the next lesson.
Yes, I remember being told that at school, but I'd never read it in a reputable source until I put this video together.
I love your videos..all of them are amazing... If you would like an idea for future videos you should do videos on the history or various European castles. I would definitely watch..
Thanks for your hard work and research you put into all your videos
Very interesting! I finally got around to watching the 2000 film "Gladiator" the other day.
Well done. I hope you get to see the sequel as well. I of course am happy that the main character is an Irish bloke :-)
Good content! Great photos! Thanks for clarifying the conundrum that is Gladiator. Your knowledge and skills are in evidence. Thank you
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it :-)
Thank you, that was very interesting as always. I was wondering if you would consider adding a glossary to your videos, it would make some of the more unusual terms easier to remember, and do you have any plans to have your ancestry book released in print form? Thanks for your interesting videos, they are little treasures.
Yes, the book will be released as a paperback too (Amazon just don't allow pre-orders for paperbacks). No plans for a glossary I'm afraid, but I try to explain the odder terms as I go along. Apologies though if I missed something in this video.
Hey ... My People! Good work. Thank You!
🎼TD, Boston, MA USA
This was son interesting. I don't know much about the ancient Rome but honestly i feel that is so much information and many years that i don't know where to start. This reminded me so much in many ways to a song of ice and fire (game of thrones books) and i see that the author take a lot of inspiration for some of tej cultures in his books. History is so fascinating 😊
Thanks for this it was really interesting. I don't know if you watch Tasting History but Max has done several videos on what warriors and gladiators from Ancient Greece and Rome ate and even spectators watching the exhibition could get to snack on.
❤ this video, HC! As a historian, do you ever wonder why the ancient world’s fascination with blood sports was so big?? Although I guess you could argue that’s even carried into the modern day, with wrestling/boxing being so popular!
And fun fact: my mother’s absolute favourite movie was Gladiator! 😂
Honestly, I think it's part of the human condition. There are still places in the world today that glorify making animals fight and sadly I think that if the likes of the Hunger Games were real, or gladiator fights were brought back, a lot of people would take pleasure in watching them. We have better outlets for our apparent love of violence now, like TV, movies and the wrestling you mention, but a lot of people obviously still get off on watching it which suggests to me that we aren't as evolved as we often like to think. :-(
I love the topics from one week to the other, keeping us on out toes haha :)
That's the idea. Keeps it fresh for me too :-)
@@HistoryCallingtrue that, talking about the same range of topics every week would make it more of a chore for you :)
Hi friend
Congratulations on the book, HC. How exciting!
As for popularity of gladiator games, violence and blood sport still seems to be popular with a certain segment of society. (violent video games, mass attacks at schools, public or social events, etc.). Wish I could say why. 😢
But it was an entertaining video!
Yes, I think you're spot on. We haven't really evolved all that much except that most of us have found better outlets for our nastiness (like computer games and movies). It would be great if we could even evolve beyond needing violence in those things in society.
Thank you! I learned a lot more than I ever knew about gladiators.
Thanks hc, congratulations on the book , I hope it's a great success,
Thanks Shane. Me too!
Great video. Just in time for the Gladiator sequel. It’s not historical accurate, but we’re enthralled by the gladiator stories. Wish I know how they turned the colosseum into nautical games. The building of the colosseum and turning it into nautical games were impressive. Have you done the Reign of Terror? My maternal grandmother was French. She and her Spanish husband moved to Mexico in 1939. If it’s not your thing that’s okay. Thank you for the history lesson.
Love this thanks again @historycalling❤
Thanks Wendy :-)
Thank you.
Thanks Anna :-)
Every time I hear the name Spartacus, I think of Cher from Clueless saying Spar-at-acus 🤣
Alice I so nearly mentioned that in the video! We are clearly of one mind, cause I hear her saying that too (and her adorable attempt to say Haitians) :-)
Remember clueless I loved that moved
I know. It was so good. It and 10 Things I Hate About You are a couple of great 90s teen films.
His wanting to see Spartacus should have been a clue…
@@HistoryCalling The best part about it is, those were both flubs by Alicia Silverstone they decided to keep in the movie because they were perfect to Cher's character
Thanks for another informative and well-researched video! Just one small thing--at the 33:20 mark, don't you mean that the /western/ ". . . empire fell just 66 years later" ?
What an interesting video! Thank you!
Thank you :-)
Another great video!! Learned more in this 35 minutes than in my lifetime - fantastic detail!!
I think they were popular for the same reason car crash videos are popular on YT - schadenfreude. All the fasination of the violence, no personal responsibility to partake.
Thanks Ben and I agree. Humans just seem to get off on violence and gore. It's not one of our more attractive features as a species.
Congratulations on your book! Will there be a hard copy?
And I'm currently reading an (extremely) exhaustive bio of the Beatles- their Irish roots are extensive; the author actually traces their families back to the Potato Famine.
There will be a paperback though if you're able to get an e-book I would recommend that because it means you can click the links in it very easily and not have to type them out.
I didn't know that about the Beatles!
@@HistoryCalling Liverpool is extremely Irish in the mix; I think there are/were Irish communities and neighborhoods within it.
Fun fact: Did you know, Maria Josepha of Bavaria(March 20th,1739-may 28th,1767) was the second wife of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph, the second. When she married Joseph he treated badly. You see, he was still in love with his first wife and didn’t want to remarry but was forced to.
I did not :-)
Um, history calling. I thought you would have sympathy for the poor girl.
I do. I'm just saying that I didn't know that.
Very, very interesting...and after another weekend of head-banging college football here in the U.S., I'm left to wonder how much we've really changed. (And I'll admit, I'd probably be more interested in "Dancing With The Stars","America's Got Talent", etc. if they were to the death).
Don't go giving those TV execs any ideas! ;-)
We just exchanged the sword for a ball and made padding and helmets from different materials. But you do have a point. I live in a big college football town. But even looking at the coliseum, you can see how most modern stadiums use that same model - just more oval than round. Usually domed facilities are circular. Animals are still brought in. Granted, they live better than most humans and are more symbolic. Can you imagine how difficult it was for men with CTE then?
@@ErinH-430 I had that exact same thought about the colosseum- it looks like the inspiration for every modern sports facility. As far was CTE, ugh...we still haven't worked that out and it's a huge dilemma in football. With every hard hit I think about it...and I wonder if O.J. Simpson was a product of it.
There is a tv programme on tv this eeek ......the Colosseum (Roman) by.Dan Smow..
Dan Snow!
Yes, I think there's lots of content out on gladiators due to the new movie. That's certainly what inspired me :-)
Wow. I didn't know all of that. Mostly that there were different types according to fighting style.
28:26 Spurs? The original spaghetti westerns? Can you imagine Clint in such a getup? 🙂
Congrats on your book!! 🎉 🍾
Thank you so much 😀
Will your book be available in print. ?
Yes, the book will be released as a paperback too (Amazon just don't allow pre-orders for paperbacks). :-)
Best Spartacus was the series in 2010 they did in loved everything about it was amazing …. I know they had to change actors due to the lead becoming sick and passing away.
I didn't see that one actually, though I remember the Kirk Douglas movie.
I was always a fan of the retiarius. The trident and net seemed to put a little distance between the retiarius and the other bloke(s) trying to wipe him out.
They remind me of Finnick Odair in the Hunger Games (and he was probably based on them to an extent). Apparently they were really looked down on by the other gladiators though.
Hello HC. I was watching this podcast on Elizabeth of Russia; I was thinking; why didn’t they invite YOU. I was OUTRAGED.
I think I've said before though that I don't do guest spots on other people's content, even if I was asked. Also, I know nothing about Elizabeth of Russia.
I know, I was teasing you.
Yaaaassssss!! Are we getting a History Calling Roman era??
Sadly not. This video has tanked, so I don't think I'll be spending much time in the ancient world going forwards. I'm bummed about it too as there's so much there that's fascinating, but if people won't even click on gladiators, which is a really interesting topic and currently the theme of a major Hollywood movie, then I don't think they'll click on other Roman history :-(
That sucks so hard.
I don't suppose your loyal fans could convince you to try one more time? People like scandalous & weird history, so maybe something with Caligula, Nero, Cleopatra's intrigue with Rome, or one of the Julias? Or some really outlandish coup/assassination attempts?
Tbh, you might need to rethink your SEO & keyword/hashtag approach. You have tons of great content, so maybe that's where the issue is.
@@HistoryCalling as much as I hate to admit it, clickbait titles seem to work. I wouldn't do anything egregious with it... But it seems like those kinds of titles and thumbnails work.
The serpentine in Hyde park at 22:13.
For the question I’m keeping it Roman: who’s the best Roman Emperor (not counting the Eastern Roman Empire, sticking to the 476 mark) that you know of?
Oh I know almost nothing about any of them. I'll have to say Octavius/Caesar Augustus, purely because he's the only one I know even a little bit about.
@@HistoryCallingI mean I gotta say it’s a pretty good answer- Idk much about them myself- I could go on about the Eastern Roman Emperors but the Western Empire isn’t as appealing to me so I only know enough about some haha. That being said, I think Augustus is like Edward III in the sense that they’re a classic, undisputedly good rulers
Good. I'm glad I've accidentally stumbled my way into a good answer as I really didn't know what I was saying :-)
@@HistoryCalling lmao either that or, bc idk much either, we’re both wrong🤷♀️🤷♀️
I wonder if using the hippos meant fighting in water. That would be far more exciting. Were there systematic methods of betting or was it just among individuals?
I remember when I went to Rome in 2000 and there were several men dressed up like gladiators and you could take a picture with them outside the coliseum like at Disney World. I found it odd
On another note about your book. When I was in the lobby of my hotel in Santiago de Compostela this summer, I was killing time before going to the airport. There was an Irish couple and their daughter sitting near me. The man said “you should stop by Ireland and see the land of your ancestors.” Clearly from my first name, I have Irish ancestors. I asked him “how do you know I’m Irish?” His daughter said “everyone is Irish if you go back far enough.” And go be fair, Santiago is in Galicia where they seem very proud of their heritage left by Celtic invaders. But when I told him my first name, he had a good laugh. But it definitely shows how diverse Spain is too.
Haha, well I dunno if EVERYONE is Irish, but it's a nice thought :-)
Thank you! I agree that Romans did many things that we wouldn't consider civilized! I hate that so many people revere the Roman Empire as the GOAT, when so many abuses and damaging practices were started by them. The fallacy of "Pax Romana" needs to die.
First of all, thanks for something not about the Tudors (I know why you do it, though, so this is not meant as a critique, it's just that there are so many other fascinating topics!).
I am not a Christian myself, but I'd say they were spot-on with their concerns about the psychological impact of watching that kind of mass violence, made even worse by it degenerating from a (maybe) death ritual which I guess might have had a different vibe (a memento mori for those watching) to primitive entertainment of the lowest order. Although I suspect it was really the other way round: As you say, Rome was a deeply militaristic society who (in imperial times) had been at continuous war for several centuries. Considering how psychologically and morally broken soldiers are today when coming back even from one war after witnessing all the atrocities that seem inevitably linked to war (not just the fighting itself, but what happens on the sidelines to civilians) - it stands to reason the whole society consisted of deeply damaged and brutalized people with no sensitivity left, who thus only would react to 'hard core' entertainment.
Little aside: the volcano near Pompej is Mount Vesuvius, not Etna.
Thank you. Yes, I know I messed up the volcano. Unfortunately due to the quick turnaround time on the video (which I only finished on Friday evening because I forgot the movie was coming out and so didn't create this weeks in advance as usual) there wasn't time to do better checks. My face is red! As to your other points, I agree completely that having so many emotionally damaged people in the Empire due to its constant wars must have contributed to that society's bloodlust. That said, I think loving violence seems to be an unfortunate part of the human condition anyway. I wish we could evolve out of it.
Thanks for the video Very interesting I never knew much about how gladiator competition worked but I always thought they must have been the forerunner of medieval jousts and melees which could be but were not usually deadly However I've read that jousts and such were staged to entertain yes - but also to keep fighting men's skills sharp during peace time And it was the nobles that were especially featured Bloodlust was not the point in a medieval contest So I was surprised to learn their were schools dedicated to the practice of gladiator although I knew some of them became quite famous It seems to share more with boxing or wrestling of today than jousting Dangerous and marked by short careers!
Yes, I was thinking about jousting whilst making this as well, though as you say, at least jousts weren't designed to kill (though accidents happened of course) and they weren't for slaves.
Good one (and not Tudor). More of these, please.....
Sadly this video has completely tanked though. Just look at the lousy viewer numbers. I'm afraid the Tudors are (for the most part) where the money is. That said, if you look at my video list, I actually do a lot that isn't about the Tudors anyway.
@HistoryCalling I know, I've seen all of them, and appreciate the quality of your work....
@HistoryCalling it's a shame just a small part of history is appreciated. There are so many fascinating topics to be covered and I literally squealed at this video. People should appreciate history more.
@TabeaTomadini In that case, I can recommend The History Chap and The history squad. Both are very good at telling history....
ah, lanista. i was thinking of the lannister family in game of thrones so maybe it was logical?
Ah, I hadn't thought of that. I wonder if George R.R. Martin knows about lanistas? He's very well read in history and the fighting pits of Mereen look like a copy of the gladiator fights, so I'm sure he does.
Was the lake Hyde Park?
Well done! Yes, it is. Gold star to you. ⭐
I've just seen Gladiator II so I loved this. I was amazed that they actually did flood an arena to fight on ships. I thought that was Hollywood rubbish. I'd still love to know how they got the sharks in there though
Yes, I'd love to know how they were transported without dying as well.
Thoroughly enjoyable as a change of pace from the Tudors! Thank you. I cannot understand why today so many people get all their entertainment from watching egregiously overpaid athletes on television competing in brutal sports like American football. I suppose the Roman enjoyment of gladiator combat stems from the same thing, whatever it is.
Yes, it doesn't say much about is as a species, does it? We're not as evolved as we so often like to think.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Have you been watching 'Airplane'? 🤣
No, fraid not. Sorry :-(
I believe you mean Vesuvius, not Etna 😊
Oh crap! Sorry. These stupid little errors slip through sometimes and in my tiredness I just don't notice. I only got the video done on Friday night and it had to go out to Patreon on Sunday, so there wasn't time to do further checks.
@HistoryCalling is okay. You're a busy person. 😀
It's just too tragic to hear about the animals massacred in these places. I know a species of elephant native to the NW corner of Africa went extinct, probably a speciation split from the time that north africa was an massive riparian/wetland habitat.
On the documentary From Jesus to Christ, I believe they discuss St Perpetua's martyrdom. Truly a sad time to be alive if you were powerless.
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Thank you :-)
published pamphlets for advertising...
on paper?
I wonder if maybe it was papyrus of some sort? They didn't have paper as we know it back then.
Its a bit ironic to honour death they caused death with these "games".
I know. It's all very Hunger Games.
So gladiators could really say "Infamy, Infamy they've all got it in for me"
Haha, yes I guess they could (if they spoke modern English of course).
Thanks so much for covering this topic, so fascinating! 🏟️
I have no idea why Romans enjoyed these gladiatorial combats. Life was very brutal in those days, so maybe it just did not affect people as it would today. They would probably think we were all wimps, who knows? I am glad it stopped as it seems a complete waste of human and animal life, for entertainment. 😐
I know. It's a very sad commentary on what we're like as a species that so many of us will apparently enjoy this. It's not just the ancient world either. Look at the slavery in the American south and the terrible way in which black people were treated (and are often still treated) even after it ended, with lynchings etc. We're just not a nice species a lot of the time. It was indeed a complete waste of life, just as you say.
@HistoryCalling it is a continuing theme. Man's inhumanity to man. It has been kill or be killed for thousands of years. Battles, crusades, pogroms, the holocaust, wars such as in Ukraine and Gaza. It never stops. As you say, we are not always a nice species.
Im spartacus ,
I'm Brian.....
*I* am Spartacus!
@@Lassisvulgaris Bwian?
@@thhseeking Shall be weleased.....
Are you not entertained?!!!
Sorry I had to go there
Didn’t they filled the colosseum with water back then?
Haha, good quote. Sometimes, yes. I mention one such incident in the video actually :-)
Honestly I was waiting for someone to post that phrase so I'll say thank you :)
@@Lionstar16I love that movie. I am interested in Gladiator 2. I do love Paul Mescal
I think it was complicated “entertainment”. A political gesture to curry voter favor. Free admission, free food, plus, oh yes, free killings. No pay per view here! It’s a sad commentary on violent times. Your research was extensive, as always, and you have made another excellent video for us to learn from. Have a great week! 😊
Thanks Amy. Yes, it was horrible. It makes me think of the Hunger Games, which is of course largely based on this type of history. It doesn't say much about us as a species unfortunately.
Those poor elephants 😢 … poor all animals. Humans suck
The real Spartacus was hung like a big dog
199th
6000 crucified people? The stench of the decaying bodies must have been smelled all over the Mediterranean 😂
Yes, I would imagine it was horrific.
Bloody Roman! What did they ever do for us?
But she looks East Asian, not Irish....
It's not me! :-) Just a stock photo.
@@HistoryCalling The Irish are being replaced, as is the West. This should not be put up with!
Someone who looks 'East Asian' can't be Irish???? Wow. 😶😵💫😬
Wow. I wasn't expecting any of that, great video, HC! I don't know how you managed to pack so much information in this video, just one thing I'll never understand is why it was such a hugely popular spectator sport! Call me a wimp, it's like the most extreme version of wrestling! Ps. I love the link to the thumbs up at the end! 😊
Excellent presentation of something we think we know all about, I learned so much I had no idea about! Thank you, HC! 👏🏼🩷
Thank you. I have to give credit to the excellent book by Dunkle which I read as part of my research. It's hard for me to understand how this could be so popular too, but I don't think it says much about us as a species unfortunately :-(
I've never understood the desire to watch boxing or other violent sports, let alone watching people kill each other. 🫤
I'm right there with you. I hate that kind of thing. The only sport I'll watch a bit of is tennis (and they shake hands and congratulate each other at the end of the matches).
That was so interesting! Thank you!
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Thank you :-)
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Thank you :-)
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Thank you :-)