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Don't want to miss this – it's the 2000th anniversary of Vespasian's birth! Hail, Caesar: Rome marks birth of emperor who built the ColosseumCoincidentally, I was watching a video lecture today which talked about the construction of the Colosseum (began by Vespasian around 70 AD) and the gladiatorial fights that took place therein. The building was financed by the spoils taken from the sack of Jerusalem (this article also says that 20,000 Jewish slaves were put to work on the project) and was built on part of the grounds where Nero had built his Domus Aurea just a few years before. So where did the Colosseum get its nickname (it's real name is the Flavian Amphitheater)? From the Colossus, a giant (120 ft tall) statue of Nero that had stood just next to the building.Another interesting tidbit: by Marcus Aurelius' reign (ended ~180 AD), salary caps were established for gladiators, which suggests these fighters may have become rich (and famous) like our modern-day athletes. I guess what goes around, comes around.
Another interesting tidbit: by Marcus Aurelius' reign (ended ~180 AD), salary caps were established for gladiators, which suggests these fighters may have become rich (and famous) like our modern-day athletes.
Do you have a source for this? By the way, when were gladiators first paid? Was it by Augustus or was it ealier?
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